As deliberations for the United Nations Summit of the Future, a significant controversy has emerged regarding a pivotal element of the draft Pact for the Future. Initially, the draft encompassed an essential reference to “accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels,” signifying a consensus established during last year’s COP28 conference. Nonetheless, recent amendments have completely excised any mention of fossil fuels, favoring instead climate action informed by “the best available science.”
This omission has elicited a vigorous response from 77 Nobel laureates and former global leaders, including Mary Robinson, the former President of Ireland, Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, and Stefan Löfven, the former Prime Minister of Sweden. In a pointed open letter, they articulate profound concerns regarding the draft’s neglect of fossil fuels, underscoring this as a considerable lapse in addressing one of the most severe threats to global climate stability.
The letter cautions that the exclusion of fossil fuels from the summit’s draft could jeopardize the advancements achieved at COP28, where nations pledged to phase out fossil fuels as part of a just and equitable transition. The signatories underscore that emissions from fossil fuels are a principal contributor to climate change and emphasize the urgent necessity for a 43% reduction in emissions by the year 2030 to maintain the global temperature increase within the 1.5°C threshold.
The Summit of the Future, characterized by the United Nations as a “once-in-a-century opportunity” for international collaboration, is anticipated to be the final significant climate forum prior to COP29 in Baku. The absence of fossil fuels from the draft could indicate a concerning deficiency of commitment to addressing climate change, thereby potentially jeopardizing the summit’s aims of rejuvenating international cooperation and executing existing climate obligations.
The signatories advocate for comprehensive international measures, including a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, to guarantee a decisive transition away from coal, oil, and gas. As the summit draws near, the global community encounters a critical juncture to reaffirm its commitment to addressing the climate crisis with the urgency and precision mandated by scientific evidence.
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