(C) Common Dreams This story was originally published by Common Dreams and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Open Letter: The World Needs A Transformational Outcome, Not More Voluntary Pledges [1] [] Date: 2023-12-02 +00:00 Dear COP28 Presidency, Over 320 civil society organizations say: This United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) must unlock an equitable global energy transition that phases out fossil fuels – the primary cause of the climate crisis. COP28 has the potential to be an historic moment in confronting the climate crisis. The COP28 Presidency has an opportunity to secure a transformational negotiated outcome, if it secures a robust negotiated energy package, including an unambiguous agreement to end all new oil and gas expansion, a clear call to equitably and rapidly phase out all fossil fuels, and a commitment to triple deployment of nature-positive and community-beneficial renewable energy and double energy efficiency. However, instead of focusing on this historic opportunity, the COP28 Presidency appears to have been encouraging fossil fuel companies to make yet another set of hollow voluntary pledges, with no accountability mechanism or guarantee the companies will follow through. Releasing another in the long succession of voluntary industry commitments that end up being breached will not make COP28 a success. Voluntary efforts are insufficient, and are a distraction from the task at hand. Over 310 civil society organizations agree: COP28 must adopt a comprehensive energy transformation package with legal force – including a full, fast, fair, and funded fossil fuel phaseout, renewable energy and energy efficiency targets, real protections for people and nature, and massively scaled up public funding on fair terms. This is a chance for the COP28 Presidency to show true leadership. This year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) reiterated its finding multiple times that any new oil, gas and coal expansion beyond existing fields and mines is incompatible with keeping warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius (°C). The November 2023 update of the Global Oil & Gas Exit List confirmed that oil and gas companies worldwide still plan to produce far more oil and gas than can ever be burned to limit warming to 1.5ºC – with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) ranking very worst in terms of overshoot beyond the IEA’s 1.5ºC scenario. The only way to achieve the ambition of the Paris Agreement is to substantially reduce the extraction and consumption of fossil fuels, starting now. In fact, Oil Change International research shows that far too much oil, gas, and coal is already developed: 60% of the fossil fuels in currently active fields and mines must stay in the ground to limit global temperature to 1.5 °C. Despite this, fossil fuel companies and their enablers – including some governments – appear to be trying to ignore the scientific reality, pretending cutting their operational emissions is enough to meet climate targets, while approving new projects that expand overall oil and gas production and worsen the climate crisis. Through this year, media reports have covered successive versions of COP28 Presidency led “Global Decarbonization Accelerator” (the “Global Decarbonization Accelerator” has also been referenced as the “Oil and Gas Decarbonization Accelerator”, the “Oil and Gas Charter”, and the “Global Decarbonization Alliance”) that serves primarily to greenwash the fossil fuel industry. Even the most recent drafts appear to contain only limited commitments to address these companies’ operational emissions, while ignoring the vast majority of their total emissions. In reality, 80 to 90 percent of oil and gas companies’ emissions result when the fossil fuels they produce and sell are burned (called ‘scope 3’ emissions) – which this voluntary commitment entirely ignores. Reducing oil and gas operational emissions without sharp reductions in overall fossil fuel production will fail to achieve the cuts in methane emissions necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Cutting methane pollution from the oil and gas supply chain is an important component of near-term emissions reductions – but it is not enough on its own. A new report from the IEA and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition released October 11 makes clear that the only way to limit global temperature rise to 1.5ºC is to phase out fossil fuels, and that methane reductions serve only to ensure that operational emissions do not undermine progress toward that goal. The IEA has stated repeatedly that the story of carbon capture and storage “has largely been one of unmet expectations”. The only safe and effective way to “clean up” fossil fuel pollution is to phase out fossil fuels. Methane emissions and gas flaring are symptoms of a more than century-long legacy of wasteful, destructive practices that are routine in the oil and gas industry as it pursues massive profits without regard for the consequences. That the industry, at this crucial moment in the climate emergency, is offering to clean up its mess around the edges in lieu of the rapid oil and gas phase-out that is needed is an insult to the billions impacted both by climate change and the industry’s appalling legacy of pollution and community health impacts. By refusing to commit to address the emissions from oil and gas being burned and to end fossil fuel expansion, the proposed ‘Global Decarbonization Accelerator’ would serve as a smokescreen to hide the reality that we need to phase out oil, gas, and coal. Voluntary commitments are a dangerous distraction from what is needed at COP28. Oil and gas companies meeting to sign a pledge that only deals with their operational emissions is like a group of arsonists meeting to promise to light fires more efficiently. We encourage the COP28 Presidency to drop the Global Decarbonization Accelerator and instead work with all negotiators at COP to secure a comprehensive energy transition package, including a full, fair, fast, and funded phase-out of all fossil fuel production and use. Yours faithfully, 350.org Greenpeace Oil Change International The Climate Reality Project Earthworks Tearfund Sierra Club Environmental Defence Canada Oxfam International WWF International Avaaz Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED) Germanwatch Bretton Woods Project American Jewish World Service Leave it in the Ground Initiative (LINGO) World Benchmarking Alliance Recourse Indigenous Environmental Network Uplift Climate Nexus Stand.earth Climate Action Network Australia Third Act Friends of the Earth United States Transport & Environment Progressive Democrats of America Zero Hour Shift: Action For Pension Wealth & Planet Health CAPPA Rainforest Action Network La Ruta del Clima Parents for Climate Aotearoa Transformative Wealth Management Judson Memorial Church 350 Aotearoa Public Power New Mexico Mental Health & Inclusion Ministries Équiterre Pax Christi Toronto Lebanon Pipeline Awareness Southwest Organization for Sustainability Working for Racial Equity Climate Risk Horizons Movimiento Ciudadano frente al Cambio Climático Human, Environmental and Leadership Prevalent Center (HELP Center) Damascus Citizens for Sustainability Climate Generation Physicians for Social Responsibillity, AZchapter Responsible Decarbonization Alliance (RDA) Concerned Health Professionals of Pennsylvania Mindful Money Hibiscus Coast Zero Waste (The Sustainable North Trust) self TIAA-Divest! Third Act Richmond, VA People, Energy and Environment Development Association Our Sacred Earth New York Progressive Action Network 350 Mass Environment and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand, ECO Resource Renewal Institute ColorbrightonGreen.org Milwaukee Riverkeeper Positive Money UK Western Slope Businesses for a Livable Climate Sustainable CSRA Strategic Response on Environmental Conservation (STREC) 350 Yakima Climate Action Friends of the Earth Spain Healthy4Purpose Generation Zero Long Beach Alliance for Clean Energy Flackville Fir Farm Peace, Justice, Sustainability NOW! Center for a Sustainable Coast Aotearoa New Zealand Human Rights Foundation Mayfair Park Neighborhood Association ClimateVoice, a project of Tides Center South Durban Community Environmental Aliance Climate Club Plastic Pollution Coalition Third Act North Carolina 350NYC People for a Healthy Environment Elmirans and Friends Against Fracking The Park Church in Elmira Larimer Alliance for Health, Safety, & Environment Sierra Club Moshannon Group Association for Farmers Rights Defense, AFRD 198 methods New Progressive Alliance Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania Peace Movement Aotearoa Common Ground Rising 350Juneau–Climate Action for Alaska DJs For Climate Action The Climate Center Eco Action Families Bronx Jews for Climate Action Equidad de Género: Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia Polar Bears International Montbello Neighborhood Improvement Association Youth United for Climate Crisis Action Kamukunji Paralegal Trust (KAPLET) Western Environmental Law Center FIMA NGO Unite North Metro Denver Community for Sustainable Energy Stop Rosebank Mom Loves Taiwan Association 350 Milwaukee Climate Defenders Care About Climate The Revolving Door Project Green House Connection Center Virginia Community Rights Network Kauai Climate Action Coalition Naturvernforbundet Crooked Creek Conservancy Society Virginia Citizens Consumer Council Sostenibilidad Global SoCal 350 Climate Action The Last Plastic Straw Campus Climate Network Citizens’ Climate Europe For a Better Bayou Climate Safe Lending Network Climate Action California Bank Climate Advocates NEPA Green Coalition StopPlastics Latino Outdoors Vote Climate SLO Clean Water 350Wenatchee Save the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Texas Campaign for the Environment North American Climate, Conservation and Environment(NACCE) Earth Path Sanctuary Turtle Island Restoration Network GLOBAL 2000 Climate Action Merribek The Victoria Secular Humanist Association Democratic Socialists of America Southwest Louisiana Fast For the Climate SanDiego350 Klimakultur (Norway) 350 Triangle Accelerate Neighborhood Climate Action Berks Gas Truth Better Path Coalition No False Solutions (PA) Earth Neighborhood Productions Living Oceans Society Workshop fo All Beings 350 Montreal Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light Solutions for Our Climate AbibiNsroma Foundation Mountain Lakes Preservation Alliance Intertwined faith community North Range Concerned Citizens The People’s Justice Council Bank Information Center Climate Action Team of First Parish Framingham, MA Climate Reality Massachusetts Southcoast 350 Bay Area Peoples Climate Movement – NY Mind’s Eye Productions Sustainable Upton Climate Families NYC Center for International Environmental Law North Country Earth Action Mothers Rise Up UK Youth Climate Coalition Creatives for Climate Canadian Voice of Women for Peace ClimateFast Preserve Montgomery County VA Pro Information Pro Environment United People Network PIPE UP Network The Climate Reality Project, Western New York Chapter MARBE SA Interfaith Power & Light The Phoenix Group Azul Casa Generalizia della Societa del Sacro Cuore Businesses for a Livable Climate Colorado Businesses for a Livable Climate RapidShift Network Small Business Alliance New Energy Economy Climate Justice Saskatoon Green Education and Legal Fund 350 Silicon Valley International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute Chatham Research Group FrackBustersNY Earth Action, Inc. Reboot PH Church Women United in New York State Foundation for Environmental Management and CampaignAgainst Poverty Oil and Gas Action Network System Change Not Climate Change 412Justice Physicians for Social Responsibility 350 Colorado Climate Action for Lifelong Learners (CALL) MarchOnHarrisburg Native Movement Centre for Climate Safety 7th Generation Initiative 350Brooklyn Fossil Free California Citizens Alliance for Saving the Atmosphere and the Earth (CASA) Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines Seas at Risk Baruch Initiative for Transformation Fridays For Future Uganda Rise to Thrive Instituto Talanoa Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance Cleantech21 Foundation RootsAction.org Urgewald Seventh Generation Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network Conexiones Climáticas Wall of Women Peace Action WI Alaska Community Action on Toxics Corporate Europe Observatory 350 Eugene Centre for Social Change Climate Action Iowa Littleton Business Alliance VIVAT International Santa Cruz Climate Action Network Tompkins County Climate Protection Initiative GreeningUSA Rapid Transition Alliance 350 Eastside (Seattle) Indivisible Ambassadors Quantum Leap Interstate 70 Citizens Advisory Group 350 New Hampshire Action Breathe Easy Susquehanna County Our Kids’ Climate Brown Grove Preservation Group Womxn from the Mountain Eco-Justice Collaborative of the American Baptist Churches, Rochester-Genesee Region Greece Baptist Church Sustainability Team Green 13 350 STL Climate Hawks Vote Elders Climate Action Vessel Project of Louisiana PRESERVE MONROE Centre for Citizens Conserving Environment & Management (CECIC) NY Climate Advocacy Project Rtse Up WV Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) 350 Pensacola Mother Earth Project Buy Local, Grow Local Ocean Defense Initiative Climate Mental Health Network Animals Are Sentient Beings, Inc. Jeunes Volontaires pour l’environnement Spirit of the Sun Earth Justice Ministries 350Merced Sunflower Alliance People’s Coalition for the Right to Water (KRuHA – Indonesia) MAUSAM (Movement for Advancing Understanding of Sustainability And Mutuality 350 Tacoma Call to Action Colorado Catholic Network US Observatório do Clima Don’t Waste Arizona Tools For Solidarity EKOenergy ecolabel Green World Consulting Friends of the Earth Malta Move Past Plastic Breathe NGO Forum on ADB Unitarian Universalists for a Just Economic Community AnsvarligFremtid Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter Coal Action Network Aotearoa Cooperative Energy Futures Klimadelegation e.V. Climate Crisis Policy The Earth Bill Network EcoEquity Center for Oil and Gas Organizing Delaware Riverkeeper Network Justice Is Global Peacemakers of Schoharie County Los Jardines Institute People of Asia for Climate Solutions TEAL Climate Tikkun Olam Chavurah Nuclear Energy Information Service (NEIS) 350 Sacramento Interfaith EarthKeepers Extinction Rebellion San Francisco Bay Area San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council Climate Action for Lifelong Learners (CALL) Labor Network for Sustainability Milieudefensie 350 Seattle The Enviro Show Emergenzaclimatica.it Campagna Per il Clima Fuori dal Fossile Climate Action Now (Western Massachusetts) Concerned Health Professionals of Pennsylvania [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.oilchange.org/news/ogda/ Published and (C) by Common Dreams Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 3.0.. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/commondreams/