On Monday the UN chief issued a stark warning – the world is on a “highway to climate hell”. His message was clear. We need urgent action from world leaders at COP27. Or we face global disaster.
But standing in the way of progress is a dangerous treaty. One that allows fossil fuel companies to sue countries if climate action gets in the way of their profits.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak must follow the likes of the Netherlands, France and Spain. And announce the UK’s withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty.
Over 1 million people across Europe have asked their leaders to pull out. 5 countries have said they will. Please ask the UK government to do the same.
SIGN THE FRIENDS OF THE EARTH PETITION
While we remain part of the Energy Charter Treaty, fracking firms can sue national governments for restricting or stopping their dirty drilling.
And right now a UK firm is suing the government of Slovenia for over £100 million for putting an end to its plans to frack an area of natural beauty in East Slovenia [1]. The same thing could happen in the UK.
Powerful corporations are being allowed to seek huge amounts of compensation when they’re prevented from making money from wrecking the planet.
In fact the UK alone could be liable for £12 billion on the path to net zero carbon emissions.
The UN warned that without action, we could be heading for 2.5 degrees of global heating [2].
This treaty that the UK is part of prioritises companies’ profits over the people whose lives will be ruined by the impacts of terrifying climate breakdown. If PM Sunak is serious about climate leadership, he must exit the treaty at the Energy Charter Conference on 22 November.
Please join millions of people across the world to stop corporations from standing in the way of climate action. And demand the UK withdraws from this dangerous agreement.