As the United Nations Secretary-General’s Climate Ambition Summit wraps up and the world witnesses once again what looks like a lack of commitment from the largest fossil fuel producers, Pacific governments and global climate leaders had a media session hosted by the Republic of Vanuatu calling on nations to take concrete action to phase out fossil fuels in a way that is fair, fast and forever.
The summit, according to stakeholders, represented a critical political milestone for demonstrating that there is a collective global will to accelerate the pace and scale of a more equitable and just energy transition.
At the UNSG Climate Ambition Summit High-Level Segment, Kausea Natano, Prime Minister of Tuvalu, said: “The longer we remain addicted to fossil fuels, the longer we commit ourselves to mutual decline.
Tuvalu is proud that we are working alongside our Pacific neighbours, the European Parliament, and the World Health Organisation to develop a comprehensive multilateral framework that addresses the climate crisis at its root cause.
“A negotiated Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty would complement the Paris Agreement and ensure a global just transition. I have faith in our collective humanity and our ability to foster global solidarity to undertake what needs to be done.”
António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, said: “Climate action is dwarfed by the scale of the challenge. The future is not fixed. It is for leaders like you to write it. The path forward is clear.
It has been forged by fighters and trailblazers – some of whom are with us today: activists refusing to be silenced; Indigenous Peoples defending their lands from climate extremes; Chief Executives transforming their business models and financiers funding a just transition; Mayors moving towards a zero-carbon future; and governments working to stamp out fossil fuels and protect vulnerable communities.
But climate champions, particularly in the developing world, need solidarity. They need support. And they need global leaders to take action. The move from fossil fuels to renewables is happening – but we are decades behind.”
Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, said: “This climate crisis is a fossil fuel crisis. It’s not complicated. It’s the burning of oil. It’s the burning of gas. It’s the burning of coal. And we need to call that out. For decades and decades, the fossil fuel industry has been playing each and every one of us in this room for fools.”
