Today, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released their latest and most comprehensive #ClimateReport. You can read it here. It’s bad.
The IPCC has clearly and repeatedly sounded the alarm that countries must meet their promise to keep global warming below 1.5ºC in order to protect people and the planet. And they have once again agreed with the International Energy Agency (IEA), and by the UN Secretary General, in explaining that fossil fuel expansion is incompatible with that 1.5°C goal.
Despite the science, the Paris Agreement never even uses the words “fossil fuels” and does nothing to reduce their production, use, or expansion. And President Biden and Congress keep ignoring fossil fuels. They promise to meet the goals of the Paris agreement even as they permit and subsidize massive fossil fuel projects like the Willow Arctic oil project, the Mountain Valley fracked gas pipeline, the Sea Port Oil Terminal, and much, much more.
As a result, the UN’s new #ClimateReport predicts that by 2030, we are on track to produce 110% more fossil fuels than the world can ever burn.
The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty has gained significant support recently, including endorsements from 2000 civil society organizations, over 3,000+ scientists and academics, 101 Nobel laureates, the World Health Organization and hundreds of health professionals, a thousands of religious institutions, a growing number of Indigenous organizations and youth activists, more than 70 cities and 550 Parliamentarians across the world.
Since passing domestic legislation to rein in fossil fuels is unlikely in the next two years —what with climate denying fossil fuel fascists in control the US House — the best option is for Biden to adopt, and the US Senate to ratify, a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty.
President Biden, and most of the US Congress are just not listening. While they’ve been busily congratulating themselves on passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, they’ve completely ignored the cause of climate change — fossil fuels. That’s why Biden permitted the Willow arctic oil project last week. And that’s why Congress is still talking about (yet) another version of Manchin’s dirty deal to expedite fossil fuel infrastructure.
Recent studies by economists, scientists, and independent government watchdogs all agree – the only way to deal with the climate emergency is to take bold, international action to end the era of fossil fuels. And so far, the Biden Administration and Congress just aren’t doing it.
Last year, the treaty was formally endorsed by the pacific nations of Vanuatu and Tuvalu within the UN. And just last week a block of 6 Pacific countries committed to spearhead global fossil fuel phase-out effort. The initiative is also supported by the European Parliament, who adopted a resolution calling for the development of a Fossil Fuel Treaty before COP27.
There is leadership from the frontlines to adopt a fossil fuel non proliferation treaty. And it’s a policy that the President and the US Senate can take on their own, without the Republican-led House blocking them.
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