September, 25 2020, 12:00am EDT

For Immediate Release
Contact:
Ziona Eyob, Stand.earth, ziona@stand.earth, 604-757-7279
Brenna Two Bears, Climate Access, brenna@climateaccess.org, 812-345-3139
Fossil Fuel Production Cannot Expand as Part of a Fair Energy Transition, Urges New International Coalition
An equitable energy transition can be fast-tracked with the support of the Fossil Fuel Non Proliferation Treaty.
NEW YORK CITY
A coalition of policy advisors, academics, and civil society from around the world came together today to urge for more ambitious international cooperation in order to protect the climate and vulnerable people.
Leaders convened for a virtual panel event during Climate Week NYC hosted by the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, where they addressed ways in which a transition away from fossil fuels can be accelerated with care and sensitivity, particularly in a post-Covid world.
While citizens, companies and countries commit to reducing emissions, the main cause of the climate crisis--the fossil fuel industry--continues to expand. Coal, oil, and gas are responsible for almost 80% of all carbon dioxide emissions since the industrial revolution.
"It is high time that the fossil fuel industry take accountability for their substantial role in environmental injustices. Through the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, civil society in the Global South and around the globe is calling for the future of our world to take precedence over industry interests. As the climate emergency looms closer and closer, an equitable move away from fossil fuel production that leaves no worker, community or nation behind is imperative and can be accelerated through international cooperation via a treaty," said Lidy Nacpil, Asian People's Movement on Debt and Development.
Such a complex transition requires a global framework--a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty--in order to ensure an equitable global transition away from fossil fuels towards clean and low-carbon communities. This includes:
- Preventing the proliferation of coal, oil and gas by ending all new exploration and production;
- Phasing-out existing stockpiles and production of fossil fuels in line with the 1.5degC global climate goal; and
- Fast-tracking real solutions and a just transition for every worker, community and country.
"Over the next four years, the fossil fuel industry plans to invest trillions to expand oil, gas, and coal production. Yet current production could push us well past global temperature limits in as little as 10 years, the time to take action is now. With this treaty, a coalition of supporters around the world are calling for global action to focus on the fossil fuel production gap challenge and fast track solutions. Markets alone can not solve this challenge, we must hold governments to account for rising emissions and production," said Tzeporah Berman, International Program Director at Stand.earth.
If the Paris goals of keeping global temperatures from rising above 1.5degC are going to be met, we need a step-change in climate action and political will.
The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty is an idea whose time has come. Hundreds of organizations, companies. and individuals have endorsed the concept of a treaty including organizations represented in today's event as well as Powershift Africa, 350.org, Friends of the Earth International, Stand.Earth, Corporate Accountability, the U.K. Youth Climate Coalition, and yesterday the World Future Council many others. Youth leaders around the world are starting to launch campaigns calling for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, including in New Zealand, where school striker Aurelie Bray has delivered a petition to the New Zealand Parliament calling for a treaty.
"This is an exquisitely important idea. ...Our response in terms of nuclear weapons has, all things considered, been pretty remarkable. We haven't dropped one for decades and that is because the human imagination was able to understand what those mushroom clouds above big cities looked like. ...Now we can see the fires, we can see the melt, we can see the heatwaves. So the time has come for us to understand that this is another example of people and our systems become simply too large for the planet we inhabit and this is a remarkably good way of organizing some of that sentiment into real action," said Bill McKibben, author and co-founder of 350.org.
"The treaty is a big no that makes the yeses of democratically developed Just Transitions, Green New Deals that recognize the intersection of so many different injustices and climate change as a threat multiplier possible and meaningful. A no keeping the problem from getting so bad that there is no yes that is really possible," said Naomi Klein, author, filmmaker, and activist.
"We've been saying since the beginning 'keep it in the ground' at every strike. The treaty directly explains in a concrete way how it is possible to make it happen. It is filling the gap in the Paris agreement and completely aligns with the basic demands of the youth movement to stay below the 1.5degC targets, support the climate justice principle and base efforts in the best science available. We always say that your generation has been failing us regarding the climate crisis. Now we can unite knowing we need to keep it in the ground," said Loukina Tille, youth activist. "We, as the young generation, are often told we are giving hope to other generations. But for us, it is hard to find hope anywhere because wherever we look at the problem is not being faced as it should be. This Initiative is giving me hope we can really move and bring strong and bold climate policies and tools for moving out of fossil fuels as a whole society."
"Subnational governments have been effective at stopping infrastructure projects but largely they can get forced through by national governments. Cities are an important piece of the puzzle both on the supply and demand side but cooperation is needed. That can be generated along through efforts like the Treaty which can also help hold elected leaders accountable for phasing out fossil fuels and ensuring a just transition for everyone," said Gregor Roberston, global ambassador for the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy and 39th mayor of Vancouver.
"The power of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty is that it begins with campaigns. It has to and those campaigns are already in place. People who are fighting to stop fracking in their town, in their state are fighting to stop the proliferation of fossil fuels. People who are fighting to stop oil and gas development off their coasts or in Arctic waters or to keep it from spreading in the Amazon are fighting against the proliferation of fossil fuels By recognizing that we are fighting in this common cause. By saying my town is a fossil fuel non-proliferation zone, my state is a fossil fuel non-proliferation zone, my country is a fossil fuel non-proliferation zone--we give ourselves the opportunity to ratchet up ambition, demand greater ambition from our own leaders and for those countries that are willing to move first and early, we give them a way to signal to the markets that this is where the whole world is going, this change is inevitable and you have to respond," said Carroll Muffett, Center for International Environmental Law.
Event speakers included:
- Tzeporah Berman, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative
- Naomi Klein, Journalist/Author/Filmmaker/Activist
- Lidy Nacpil, Asian Peoples' Movement on Debt and Development
- Sanjay Vashist, Climate Action Network in South Asia
- Gregor Robertson, Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy
- Bill McKibben, Author and Founder 350.org
- Carroll Muffett, Center for International Environmental Law
- Mark Campanale, Carbon Tracker
- Carlos Larrea, Universidad Andina Simon Bolivar
- Niclas Hallstrom, What Next?
- Lili Fuhr, Heinrich Boll Foundation
- Kathryn Harrison, University of British Columbia
- David Tong, Oil Change International
- Peter Newell, University of Sussex
- Loukina Tille, Youth Activist
Stand.earth (formerly ForestEthics) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with offices in Canada and the United States that is known for its groundbreaking research and successful corporate and citizens engagement campaigns to create new policies and industry standards in protecting forests, advocating the rights of indigenous peoples, and protecting the climate. Visit us at
LATEST NEWS
Trump-Musk Gutting of USAID Could Lead to More Than 14 Million Deaths Over Five Years: Study
"For many low and middle income countries, the resulting shock would be comparable in scale to a global pandemic or a major armed conflict," said the coordinator behind the study.
Jul 01, 2025
A study published Monday by the medical journal The Lancet found that deep funding cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development, a main target of the Department of Government Efficiency's government-slashing efforts, could result in more than 14 million additional deaths by the year 2030.
For months, humanitarian programs and experts have sounded the alarm on the impact of cutting funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which is the largest funding agency for humanitarian and development aid around the globe, according to the study.
"Our analysis shows that USAID funding has been an essential force in saving lives and improving health outcomes in some of the world's most vulnerable regions over the past two decades," said Daniella Cavalcanti, postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Collective Health and an author of the study, according to a statement published Tuesday. Between 2001 and 2021, an estimated 91 million deaths were prevented in low and middle income countries thanks programs supported by USAID, according to the study.
The study was coordinated by researchers from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health with the help of the Institute of Collective Health of the Federal University of Bahia, the University of California Los Angeles, and the Manhiça Centre for Health Research, as well as others.
To project the future consequences of USAID funding cuts and arrive at the 14 million figure, the researchers used forecasting models to simulate the impact of two scenarios, continuing USAID funding at 2023 levels versus implementing the reductions announced earlier this year, and then comparing the two.
Those estimated 14 million additional deaths include 4.5 million deaths among children younger than five, according to the researchers.
The journalist Jeff Jarvis shared reporting about the study and wrote "murder" on X on Tuesday.
In March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the 83% of the programs at USAID were being canceled. In the same post on X, he praised the Department of Government Efficiency, which at that point had already infiltrated the agency. "Thank you to DOGE and our hardworking staff who worked very long hours to achieve this overdue and historic reform," he wrote.
Davide Rasella, research professor at Barcelona Institute for Global Health and coordinator of the study, said in a statement Tuesday that "our projections indicate that these cuts could lead to a sharp increase in preventable deaths, particularly in the most fragile countries. They risk abruptly halting—and even reversing—two decades of progress in health among vulnerable populations. For many low- and middle-income countries, the resulting shock would be comparable in scale to a global pandemic or a major armed conflict."
One country where USAID cuts have had a particularly deadly impact is Sudan, according to The Washington Post, which reported on Monday that funding shortages have led to lack of medical supplies and food in the war-torn nation.
"There's a largely unspoken and growing death toll of non-American lives thanks to MAGA," wrote Ishaan Tharoor, a Post columnist, of the paper's reporting on Sudan.
In reference to the reporting on Sudan, others laid blame on billionaire Elon Musk, the billionaire and GOP mega-donor who was initially tapped to lead the Department of Government Efficiency.
"In a less imperfect world, Musk and [President Donald] Trump would be forever cast as killers of children, and this would be front-page news for months and the subject of Sunday sermons in every church," wrote the journalist David Corn.
Keep ReadingShow Less
GOP Still Lacks Votes to Pass Budget Bill 'Because It's a Moral Monstrosity,' Says Senate Democrat
"We have been debating amendments for 21 hours and we are still going because through 12 hours of debate and 21 hours of amendment votes, Republicans still don't have 50 votes for their bill," said Sen. Chris Murphy.
Jul 01, 2025
Even after an all-night session of amendment votes and wrangling behind closed doors, Senate Republicans still did not have enough support to pass their reconciliation package as of Tuesday morning, leaving party leaders scrambling to placate GOP holdovers who are purportedly nervous about the legislation's unprecedented cuts to Medicaid and federal nutrition assistance.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) argued in a social media post that the reason for the GOP's inability to quickly rally its own members around the legislation is straightforward: "Because it's a moral monstrosity."
"We have been debating amendments for 21 hours and we are still going because through 12 hours of debate and 21 hours of amendment votes, Republicans still don't have 50 votes for their bill," Murphy wrote at roughly 5:30 am ET, as the marathon "vote-a-rama" continued with no end in sight.
With Democrats unanimously opposed to the bill, Senate Republicans can only afford to lose three GOP votes if they are to send the measure back to the House for final approval. Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) have said they will vote against the bill in its current form, and Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) are undecided. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) also suggested he's on the fence.
Republican leaders have been working to bring Murkowski into the yes column with a proposal that would temporarily exempt Alaska and other states from the bill's massive cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee, ripped the proposal as "absurd" and said it would reward the states with the highest SNAP error rates.
"Insanity reigns," Klobuchar wrote on social media.
Senate Republicans' margins became more difficult after Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) announced his opposition to the legislation over the weekend, pointing to the Senate version's devastating cuts to Medicaid.
"What do I tell 663,000 people in two years or three years, when President Trump breaks his promise by pushing them off of Medicaid because the funding's not there anymore?" Tillis asked in a floor speech on Sunday, citing an estimate of the number of people in North Carolina who could lose health insurance under the Republican bill.
Throughout the country, nearly 12 million people would lose coverage under the Senate reconciliation bill, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
"Kicking millions off healthcare, blowing up the national debt by trillions, and devastating generational economic harms—all being written into law on the fly," Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said early Tuesday morning after hours of debate and amendment votes.
Keep ReadingShow Less
At Least 95 Palestinians Killed in Israeli Attacks Including Massacres at Beach Café, Aid Points
"I saw body parts flying everywhere, and bodies cut and burned," said one eyewitness to a strike on the popular al-Baqa Café.
Jun 30, 2025
Israeli forces ramped up their genocidal assault on the Gaza Strip Monday, killing at least 95 Palestinians in attacks including massacres at a seaside café and a humanitarian aid distribution center and bombings of five school shelters housing displaced families and a hospital where refugees were sheltering in tents.
An Israeli strike targeted the al-Baqa Café in western Gaza City, one of the few operating businesses remaining after 633 days of Israel's obliteration of the coastal strip and a popular gathering place for journalists, university students, artists, and others seeking reliable internet service and a respite from nearly 21 months of near-relentless attacks.
Medical sources said at least 33 civilians were killed and nearly 50 others wounded in the massacre, including footballer Mustafa Abu Amira, photojournalist Ismail Abu Hatab—who survived an earlier Israeli airstrike and is reportedly the 227th journalists killed by Israel since October 2023—and prominent artist Frans Al-Salmi, whose final painting depicting a young Palestinian woman killed by Israeli forces resembles photographs of its slain creator posted on social media after her killing.
Warning: Photos shows image of death
Survivor Ali Abu Ateila toldThe Associated Press that the café was crowded with women and children at the time of the attack.
"Without a warning, all of a sudden, a warplane hit the place, shaking it like an earthquake," he said.
Another survivor of the massacre told Britain's Sky News: "All I see is blood... Unbelievable. People come here to take a break from what they see inside Gaza. They come westward to breathe."
Eyewitness Ahmed Al-Nayrab toldAgence France-Presse that a "huge explosion shook the area."
"I saw body parts flying everywhere, and bodies cut and burned," he said. "It was a scene that made your skin crawl."
Witnesses and officials said Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) troops opened fire on Palestinians seeking food and other humanitarian aid from a U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution point in southern Gaza, killing 15 people amid near-daily massacres of aid-seekers.
"We were targeted by artillery," survivor Monzer Hisham Ismail told The Associated Press. Another survivor, Yousef Mahmoud Mokheimar, told the AP that Israeli troops "fired at us indiscriminately." Mokheimar was shot in the leg, another man who tried to rescue him was also shot.
IDF troops have killed nearly 600 Palestinian aid-seekers and wounded more than 4,000 others over the past month, with Israeli military officers and soldiers saying they were ordered to deliberately fire on civilians in search of food and other necessities amid Israel's weaponized starvation of Gaza.
Another 13 people were reportedly killed Monday when IDF warplanes bombed an aid warehouse in the Zeitoun quarter of southern Gaza City, according to al-Ahli Baptist Hospital officials cited by The Palestine Chronicle. IDF warplanes also reportedly bombed five schools housing displaced families, three of them in Zeitoun. Israeli forces also bombed the courtyard of al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, where thousands of forcibly displaced Palestinian families are sheltering in tents. It was reportedly the 12th time the hospital has been bombed since the start of the war.
The World Health Organization has documented more than 700 attacks on Gaza healthcare facilities since October 2023. Most of Gaza's hospitals are out of service due to Israeli attacks, some of which have been called genocidal by United Nations experts.
Israel's overall behavior in the war is the subject of an ongoing International Court of Justice genocide case, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, including murder and using starvation as a weapon of war.
Since October 2023, Israeli forces have killed or wounded more than 204,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including over 14,000 people who are missing and presumed dead and buried under rubble, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, whose casualty figures have been found to be generally accurate and even a likely undercount by peer-reviewed studies.
The intensified IDF attacks follow Israel's issuance of new forced evacuation orders amid the ongoing Operation Gideon's Chariots, an ongoing offensive which aims to conquer and indefinitely occupy all of Gaza and ethnically cleanse much of its population, possibly to make way for Jewish recolonization as advocated by many right-wing Israelis.
Keep ReadingShow Less
Most Popular