A NEW BRIEFING SERIES ON THE POSSIBLE LEGAL DESIGN OF A FOSSIL FUEL TREATY
Dear friends,
As this newsletter lands in your inboxes, the world is literally on fire – and fossil fuels are the main culprit.
This is a vital moment, therefore, to build on the momentum created by the Santa Marta conference on Transitioning away from Fossil Fuels (TAFF) to secure a fair exit from fossil fuels. At that conference 80% of participating sectors called for a new international mechanism to support an equitable fossil fuel phase-out and many governments backed this call in their interventions.
As the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative moves from an idea to something that governments can take ownership of and move forward through diplomatic channels as we head towards the Second Conference on TAFF in Tuvalu, we need to address the question of what a treaty could look like. What could its scope be, its principles, its commitments, and what kind of mechanisms would attract participation and help to ensure that states would implement it?
With this in mind, we are delighted to share with governments and other supporters of the Treaty Initiative aseries of legal briefings. These are options papers that we hope will inform and ground discussions on the legal design of a treaty and help policymakers and advocates of the Treaty to navigate the road ahead. They draw on a wealth of sources and experience from international environmental governance and beyond to show there are many parallels and legal precedents that could form the basis of a treaty. Some elements of a treaty might be new and will require creative legal approaches, but there is already consensus around many key principles and ways of structuring treaties providing a solid basis for moving forward.
These briefings are not an end point, but rather a starting point for discussions on how the treaty could work.
We very much hope you enjoy reading them!
Peter Newell (University of Sussex) and Harro van Asselt (University of Cambridge)
Options Papers: Exploring possible elements of a Fossil Fuel Treaty
The new briefing series focuses on the possible legal design of a treaty, including its scope, principles, commitments, and institutional architecture. It draws on precedents from international environmental, human rights, trade, arms control and other areas of international law to identify options for states and advocates to consider in the design of a Fossil Fuel Treaty.
There are six briefings, 1) covering a potential Fossil Fuel Treaty’s Scope, 2) Principles, 3) Substantive Commitments, 4) Transparency framework, 5) Compliance arrangements, and 6) possible Pathways to Start Treaty Negotiations.
Global South Leaders Discuss the Path Forward at London Climate Action Week
During London Climate Action Week, the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative hosted an event together with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on the habitability crisis that affects where and how people live, especially for island nations threatened by sea level rise.
The event connected the dots between phasing out fossil fuels and safeguarding our homes and humanity. The habitability crisis demands concrete solutions, beginning with naming and addressing fossil fuels as the primary culprit.
IN THE MEDIA
“Andrés Gómez, a petroleum engineer and the Latin America coordinator for the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, says the right strategy for the country is not to abandon extractive revenues overnight. “It’s about managing the decline,” he says.”
“Ocean Rebellion arrived in St George on Monday to meet with Bermudian environmental groups, on its way to the international Climate Justice Flotilla in Europe. While docked, the crew unfurled a banner stating “Fossil Fuel Treaty Now” to urge governments around the world, including those of island nations, to push for renewable energy use.”
“A fossil fuel treaty is a logical and necessary next step, but it requires governments like the Netherlands to show genuine ambition, not just co-chair a coalition on paper while expanding fossil fuel subsidies at home,” van Oosterhout added.”
SOCIALS WORTH SHARING
Climate goals framed around emissions alone don't touch the root cause
Amiera Sawas, Head of Research and Policy at the Fossil Fuel Treaty talks about how the Fossil Fuel Treaty is built on common but differentiated responsibilities.
Help sustain this growing global momentum by making a donation to advance the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative’s work toward a fast, fair and financed transition from oil, gas and coal extraction. Thank you for helping us take the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative to the next level!
