Phasing out Fossil Fuels is a Global Health Intervention
Dear Friends,
As we return from the World Health Organisation’s Global Conference on Air Pollution & Health, there is no doubt that air quality is the great leveller. Responsible for 7 million deaths annually, 80% of air pollution can be linked directly to fossil fuels. Phasing out the production and use of oil, gas, and coal is thus one of the most effective and cost-efficient global health interventions available today.
Our initiative engaged throughout the week-long event Cartagena, from bringing together anti-fracking movements from across the Americas, engaging with Colombian ministries of health & environment, hosting the opening reception with the Clean Air Fund, and highlighting the imperative for a fair and financed transition away from fossil fuels to achieve public health for all in the conference program.
Low-income communities, racialized communities, children, women, the elderly, and disabled people are the most affected by air pollution despite bearing the least responsibility for causing it. For communities on the front-lines of extraction, being choked by the dirty air in our streets, or with no other choice than to burn unhealthy fuels to power their homes and lives, the adoption of a Fossil Fuel Treaty would be a comprehensive solution to address the root cause of the climate crisis while promoting health equity.
We must also remind ourselves that a health-based just transition implies a redefinition of what it means to create new energy systems that protect everyone’s health, ensuring that we do not replicate the fossil fuel industry’s exploitative model that ensures clean air for some groups at the expense of others.
Taking action with urgency is key to protect lives and safeguard our common future. As UN Special Rapporteur Astrid Puentes said in one of our events “the expansion of the extractive frontier is affecting all human rights, including the right to health, especially for people and communities in marginalized situations. It is essential to stop increasing dependence on fossil fuels, to move towards clean energy, towards a just transition with human rights at the center.”
Lucas Snaije Global Coordinator - Health & Urbanisation Program, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative
Gavà, a coastal city in Catalonia, Spain, has officially endorsed the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, becoming part of a growing global movement of over 130 cities and local governments—including the Province of Barcelona—pushing for climate justice and a fair energy transition.
“This is why we support the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative and collaborate in raising awareness of the climate emergency situation among the citizens of Gavà.” says Miguel Herrera Díaz, Councilman and Spokesperson, Municipal Group En Comú Podem Gavà.
As Brazil prepares to host COP30, it carries both immense promise and a pressing contradiction. While positioning itself as an international climate leader, the government also plans to expand oil production nationally—including drilling at the mouth of the Amazon. COP30 is a pivotal chance to rebuild trust in international cooperation and place a just transition—led by the Global South—at the heart of climate action.
In a bold step for climate justice, Chile’s parliament voted to urge the government to endorse the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. Chile could become the second Latin American nation to support the international effort to phase out fossil fuels and protect communities, ecosystems like the Andes, and future generations from the harms of extractivism. This resolution sends a powerful signal at a time when climate denial is gaining ground in the region.
Join us on April 7 for keynote presentations, panel discussions, and interactive Q&A sessions as we build momentum for Bangladesh’s endorsement of the treaty in 2025.
This webinar will explore why Bangladesh must endorse the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, a global initiative aimed at phasing out fossil fuels and accelerating a fair transition to renewable energy. Experts, civil society leaders, and youth advocates will discuss the urgent need for energy reform, the economic and social benefits of renewables, and how tackling corruption in the fossil fuel industry can pave the way for a cleaner, more equitable future.
LESSONS LEARNED SERIES: LEARNING FROM THE PAST, SHAPING THE FUTURE
To help us shape the Fossil Fuel Treaty future, we launched the "Lessons Learned" series, drawing insights from successful international treaty campaigns.
Join us on April 14for the third session which will focus on the Lessons from the Arms Trade Treaty: Strategies for Effective Global Advocacy. The Arms Trade Treaty was a powerful agreement that entered into force a decade ago to prevent and eradicate illicit trade of conventional weapons. Register Here!
“Kumi Naidoo, the president of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, said: “We are living at a critical moment in human history. It is essential that governments step up and use their authority to end the root cause of the crisis we find ourselves in: the expansion of fossil fuels.”
“Norway has a choice: It can continue as climate hypocrite and Europe’s biggest fossil fuel investor, or it can become the world’s first major oil producer to commit to a planned, fair, managed phase-out of fossil fuels. It can defend the status quo, or it can support or even join the growing coalition of nations calling for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. It cannot do both.”
“Berman hopes the unofficial tribunal can influence legal battles and wider policy discussions. The event's mandate aligns with emerging legal frameworks like the push to criminalize ecocide and the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. By documenting and exposing nature violations, the tribunal is building a body of evidence that can support cases in the court system.”
SOCIALS WORTH SHARING
Is Australia now a petro-state?
It’s time for Australia to ensure their climate action matches their rhetoric by ending fossil fuel expansion and joining Pacific nations in supporting a #FossilFuelTreaty!
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