Climate change: ‘Fast and fair’ fossil fuel phase-out needed

Fresh climate call comes as millions set to join protests ahead of next week’s UN meetings

Amnesty is supporting Fridays for Future Global Climate Strike and March to End Fossil Fuels

‘Too many leaders in positions of power today are doing too little to avert the climate disaster’ - Agnès Callamard

Ahead of next week’s UN General Assembly meeting in New York and the Secretary-General’s Climate Ambition Summit, Amnesty International is calling for a “fast and fair phase-out” of fossil fuels in order to help prevent the climate catastrophe escalating.

Amnesty is supporting several coordinated protest actions in the coming days, including the Fridays for Future Global Climate Strike on 15 September, followed on 17 September with the March to End Fossil Fuels in New York as world leaders gather for the General Assembly (18-19 September).

Fridays for Future began in 2018 when Swedish activist Greta Thunberg started a climate protest outside the Swedish parliament. In 2019, Thunberg and Fridays for Future received Amnesty’s Ambassador of Conscience Award.

Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said:

“We’re calling for a fast and fair phase-out of all fossil fuels and for an immediate halt to the development of new fossil fuel resources.

“The youth-led Fridays for Future movement is again at the forefront of these calls for a just energy transition.

“This generation faces a worsening climate catastrophe, with devastating consequences for human rights, but too many leaders in positions of power today are doing too little to avert this disaster, and even reneging on existing promises.

“We call on governments and corporations to act now to safeguard everyone’s right to a healthy environment by bringing a rapid end to the current era of fossil-fuel dependency, swiftly and fairly transitioning to renewable energy sources, and ending energy poverty.”