Leading UK environment organisations including Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace have joined an international call to strengthen powers to address the climate crisis.
Over 400 charities and other organisations around the world warn that European governments will “have their hands tied” in the fight against global warming if they do not withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT).
The groups say that the ECT will allow energy companies to take legal action against national governments where steps to find alternative sources of energy could harm the profits of private companies.
Call
The statement signed by the charities said: “European countries aim to be at the forefront of the climate fight, with strong climate commitments from the EU and the UK hosting COP26.
“Yet they are part of a treaty that protects investments in fossil fuels and allows energy companies to sue states before corporate courts for taking necessary climate action.
“Strong scientific consensus tells us that continuing with fossil fuel exploitation is incompatible with good conditions of life on earth in only a few decades.”
Campaigners said that they had seen evidence that the European Commission is looking at making the ECT more flexible in its approach to fossil fuel investments, potentially weakening the ability of individual governments to divest from the most harmful energy production.
Reject
Paul de Clerck, economic justice coordinator for Friends of the Earth Europe, said: “It’s been clear from day one that this polluter protection treaty is incapable of change.
“A number of countries refuse to make the treaty fit for a fossil-free energy system, and reject even the EU’s limp proposals.
“We’re in a climate crisis that allows no time to wait for negotiations that go nowhere, so the EU and European governments have no option but to pack up and exit this harmful treaty by November’s UN climate summit.”
Other signatories to the letter include Action Aid, Global Witness, and the Campaign against Climate Change.
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