Representatives of the growing group of 14 countries presented the course ahead in the effort to secure a negotiating mandate for a treaty.
According to Hon. Prof. Biman Prasad, the Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji. the idea of the Fossil Fuel Treaty is gaining momentum amongst governments, businesses, civil society and his country is carrying it forward to significant advances in 2025.
'The Treaty, as we see it, is a tool to address climate injustice and drive the shift needed to achieve a much needed transition to clean energy, while equitably managing the phase out of harmful fossil fuels globally,' he said.
He asserted that this proposal for a legally binding mechanism presents an opportunity to hold wealthier nations accountable for their role in the crisis while providing vulnerable nations like with the financial and technical support needed for the transition.
The time has come to respond with greater urgency, greater focus, greater solidarity. The Fossil Fuel Treaty is a key part of that response."
Susana Muhamad, the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia acknowledged that the effort to develop a Fossil Fuel Treaty that will help achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and complement the UNFCCC process is moving to the next stage in 2025.
'As we agreed during the meeting of the ministers who are part of this initiative, we will pursue resolutions at the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Environmental Assembly to push forward the Fossil Fuel Treaty proposal,' she said.
'We have discussed how the treaty will address the potential implications of phasing out fossil fuels and the economic requirements of moving forward. We hope that in the next stage we will be getting the commitments of other countries keen on participating in this process,' she added.
In the same spirit, Dr. Maria Neira, Director of the Department of Public Health and Environment at the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the climate crisis is a health crisis as well affecting global health in a very serious and dramatic way.
'The combustion of fossil fuels overlaps 75% with the causes of air pollution. We will host the 2nd Conference on Air Pollution & Health, in Cartagena, Colombia in March 2025. It will be a forum where we will strengthen conversations around the Treaty, and where we will be looking at the transition and how we can help subsidize energy innovation," she noted.
At COP29, a cross-section of Ministers and senior government officials from the endorsing nations from the Pacific, Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as observers from other countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Europe who are interested in advancing the proposal, gathered to discuss key priorities for the Fossil Fuel Treaty proposal in 2025.
The ministers agreed to explore pathways to secure a negotiating mandate for a treaty through a forum such as the UN General Assembly (UNGA) or a standalone negotiating process, and to explore a resolution on fossil fuels in the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA).
In addition to the efforts toward a complementary treaty, the Ministers also agreed they will work together in Baku to get a strong outcome at COP29 on the New Collective Quantified Goal on climate finance and the Just Transition Working Program.
The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative is spurring international cooperation to end new development of fossil fuels, phase out existing production within the agreed climate limit of 1.5°C and develop plans to support workers, communities and countries dependent on fossil fuels to create secure and healthy livelihoods.
COP29 ends on Friday November 22, 2024.
Sam K Nkurunziza
