In a significant move, Pakistan has officially joined a global coalition advocating for the establishment of a new treaty focused on fossil fuels, according to a statement issued by the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative on Monday, December 23.
Pakistan has also become the first South Asian country to engage with this group to “explore the framework of the Fossil Fuel Treaty proposal, which seeks to ensure a just transition away from fossil fuel production.”
This initiative aims to address the urgent need for sustainable energy practices and combat climate change by regulating fossil fuel production and consumption. The coalition seeks to bring together nations to collaborate on strategies that promote renewable energy sources while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
This 16-member coalition spans four continents and includes nations such as Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Tonga, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Niue, Antigua and Barbuda, Timor-Leste, Palau, Colombia, Samoa, Nauru, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Pakistan, and the Bahamas.
As per a statement on its official website, the Fossil Fuel Treaty proposal emphasizes a transition founded on equity and justice. It calls for wealthier, high-emission countries to lead the shift by transitioning first and fastest while providing financial and technical support to help developing and climate-vulnerable nations move away from fossil fuels.
The coalition stressed the urgency of a concrete and binding plan to halt fossil fuel expansion. Despite decades of climate negotiations, many governments continue to approve new coal, oil, and gas projects, jeopardizing the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
According to the coalition’s website, a group of 16 countries is seeking a negotiating mandate for a Fossil Fuel Treaty to address these challenges. The proposed treaty aims to complement the Paris Agreement by managing an equitable phase-out of fossil fuels and establishing the groundwork for a just energy transition. The coalition also criticized the omission of fossil fuels—identified as the primary driver of the climate crisis—from the world’s leading climate agreement.
In a video statement shared by the coalition, Prime Minister’s Climate Change Coordinator Romina Khurshid Alam said, “We are also joining, to analyse the pros and the cons of the proposal put forward by the 16 countries for a new international way forward – a treaty aimed at phasing out fossil fuel within a time bound framework, contingent on the provision of adequate financing and technology work.”
She maintained that Pakistan acknowledged the importance of advancing discussions on equitable solutions and would engage international partners to explore different pathways in this regard.
Dr. Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director of the Islamabad-based Sustainable Development Policy Institute, stated that the initiative “reinforces the government’s commitment to addressing this critical issue by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and tackling the climate crisis.” He added that the treaty proposal provides a framework for a fair phase-out of fossil fuels, prioritizing essential financial and technical support from developed nations to help countries like Pakistan transition to clean energy.
Sanjay Vashist, Director of the Climate Action Network South Asia, emphasized the broader significance of the initiative, saying, “This is not just about transitioning to clean energy—it is about justice, equity, and ensuring that those least responsible for the crisis are not left to bear its worst impacts. Pakistan’s leadership must inspire other nations to collaborate on creating a global framework that ensures a just and equitable transition for all.”
Alongside Pakistan, the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) — a negotiating bloc primarily consisting of small islands — played a pivotal role in establishing the loss and damage fund during COP27 in Egypt in 2022.
Similarly, Vanuatu led the initiative to seek an advisory opinion on climate change from the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The hearing, held earlier this month, followed a March 2023 vote by 132 countries at the United Nations General Assembly in support of Vanuatu’s call for the ICJ to clarify nations’ legal obligations to safeguard current and future generations from the impacts of climate change, as reported by Al Jazeera.