The formal signing of the Paris Agreement could be the next nail in the coffin of the fossil fuel industry if governments actually follow through on their commitments, 350.org Executive Director, May Boeve, has said.
She disclosed in a statement ahead of the formal signing ceremony of the Paris Agreement taking place at the UN on Friday that the growing and vibrant climate movement is forcing governments to bow to the pressure to break free from fossil fuels.
“However, there is still a dangerous gap between what the governments are signing up to, what they are doing and the real ambition we need to avert the worst impacts of climate change. The only way to achieve this is by keeping coal, oil and gas in the ground. As a movement we will continue to hold governments accountable, ensure they ratify the treaty, go well beyond their current targets and accelerate the transition to 100% renewable energy,” added Ms Boeve.
She continued: “We also need to maximise the current political momentum to push for more. Break Free, a wave of global mobilisation planned for this May, is at the forefront of this and marks an unprecedented moment of local and international groups undertaking bold mobilisations to stop fossil fuel projects on six continents; demonstrating their resolve to transition off fossil fuels and build the new kind of economy that we know is possible-centred on a just transition to 100% renewable energy systems.
“The fossil fuel industry is pushing our climate to the brink faster than anyone expected, as record temperatures are proving, along with extreme weather related events. We are all at risk from a warming planet, so we are left with no choice but to scale up nonviolent direct action. As the transition from dirty energy to clean and efficient energy systems grows stronger and faster, communities and private citizens around the world will continue to hold decision makers accountable to their promises, and to science.”
Friday’s event is purely ceremonial, as most countries still need to ratify the agreement at a national level. The treaty will only enter into force when at least 55 countries representing at least 55% of global emissions have ratified.
