Resource
We need a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty – and we need it nowThe publication of the IPCC special report on global warming of 1.5 degrees concluded that only “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all...
Everything we do needs energy. The type of energy we use shapes the world around us, from how clean is the air we breathe, to how shock-proof our economies are.
A rapid transition in energy use is at the centre of solving climate breakdown. The world still uses coal, oil and gas for over 80 percent of its energy needs. But the rise of renewable energy around the world is beating all expectations. Meeting climate targets means more than just having lots of solar panels and wind turbines, though – it means leaving fossil fuels in the ground, and radically reducing the amount of energy used in high-consuming countries and groups of people.
A rapid transition to clean and lower energy use can bring jobs, a wide range of health benefits, cleaner air and a more stable climate. Evidence shows that where communities own and develop renewable energy schemes the benefits spread more broadly and any problems are more easily overcome. It’s around energy that some of the most rapid and promising changes are happening right now.
A new approach is needed to tackle the climate crisis, in which the long overlooked supply-side of fossil fuels takes centre stage. A crucial aspect of this is the need for international agreements and law to effectively and fairly leave large swathes of remaining fossil fuels in the ground.
In 2019, the Rapid Transition Alliance set out the case for a Fossil Fuel Non Proliferation Treaty. Political momentum is building behind the idea of supply-side climate policy. A new global Fossil Fuel Non Proliferation Treaty could provide a transparent and fair means to stop climate breakdown.
The Alliance has joined a number of global and grassroots organisations and individuals joined the campaign for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Fossil Fuels remain the main cause of the Climate Emergency with coal, oil and gas responsible for almost 80% of all carbon dioxide emissions since the industrial revolution. Phasing out fossil fuels and fast tracking sustainable solutions will require require unprecedented international cooperation
You can join the initiative and endorse the Treaty today here.
Story of change
Buen Vivir: The Rights of Nature in Bolivia and EcuadorIn the Andean countries of Ecuador and Bolivia, indigenous worldviews that prioritise harmony with nature over economic development have been enshrined in...
Resource
Book: The Politics of Green TransformationsBook published in 2015 that explores how 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' green transformations work, and the roles played by different kinds of alliances among...
Story of change
Badvertising – is changing the advertising industry the next step in speeding transition?As many look to ‘build back better’ from the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, there are competing voices arguing on the one hand to restart...
Story of change
Back from the brink: how the world rapidly sealed a deal to save the ozone layerAs a chorus of questions rises about whether the world can act quickly enough to prevent climate breakdown, one lesson from recent history suggests rapid...
Story of change
An open goal for transition – will global sport follow the lead of a small English football club?Emerging out of the 2020 pandemic lockdown, international sport is set to dominate the popular imagination once again. It is a massive global industry...
Story of change
A kiss of life for climate action: the rapid growth of youth protestA global youth movement to force government action on climate change has brought 1.4 million children and young people out on strike and created a dilemma...
Story of change
A fast plant for rapid shifts in construction – how the ancient supercrop Hemp can help build low carbon homesReducing emissions in the construction industry, with its dependence on carbon-intensive concrete, is notoriously difficult and extraordinarily important in...
Story of change
A different Wind of Change – harnessing Africa’s largest wind project for climate actionAfter commencing only in 2015, the Lake Turkana Wind Power Project (LTWP) in Kenya has rapidly become the largest such initiative in Africa, and Kenya’s...
Commentary
‘Moment of truth’ to act on climate says UN’s GuterresUN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned today that the planet is waging a “suicidal” war on the natural world. We are facing a ‘moment of...