Global climate change is a crisis of unprecedented scale, and it will take unprecedented action to avoid the worst consequences of our dependence on oil, coal, and gas. Equally as critical as reducing demand and emissions is the need for immediate and ambitious action to stop exploration and expansion of fossil fuel projects and manage the decline of existing production in line with what is necessary to achieve the Paris climate goals.
Clean, safe, and renewable fuels are already redefining how we see energy and it is time for nations to fully embrace 21st century energy and phase out fossil fuels.
The Lofoten Declaration affirms that it is the urgent responsibility and moral obligation of wealthy fossil fuel producers to lead in putting an end to fossil fuel development and to manage the decline of existing production.
We stand in solidarity with, and offer our full support for, the growing wave of impacted communities around the world who are taking action to defend and protect their lives and livelihoods in the face of fossil fuel extraction and climate change. It is a priority to elevate these efforts. Frontline communities are the leaders we must look to as we all work together for a safer future.
A global transition to a low carbon future is already well underway. Continued expansion of oil, coal, and gas is only serving to hinder the inevitable transition while at the same time exacerbating conflicts, fuelling corruption, threatening biodiversity, clean water and air, and infringing on the rights of Indigenous Peoples and vulnerable communities.
Energy access and demand are and must now be met fully through the clean energies of the 21st century. Assertions that new fossil fuels are needed for this transformation are not only inaccurate; they also undermine the speed and penetration of clean energy.
We recognize that a full transition away from fossil fuels will take decades, but also, that this shift is an opportunity more than a burden. We are in a deep hole with climate. We must begin by not digging ourselves any deeper.
Research shows that the carbon embedded in existing fossil fuel production will take us far beyond safe climate limits. Thus, not only are new exploration and new production incompatible with limiting global warming to well below 2ºC (and as close to 1.5ºC as possible), but many existing projects will need to be phased-out faster than their natural decline.
This task should be first addressed by countries, regions, and corporate actors who are best positioned in terms of wealth and capacity to undergo an ambitious just transition away from fossil fuel production. In particular, leadership must come from countries that are high-income, have benefitted from fossil fuel extraction, and that are historically responsible for significant emissions.
We call on these governments and companies to recognize that continued fossil fuel exploration and production without a managed decline and a just transition is irreconcilable with meaningful climate action. We also note that there are tremendous leadership opportunities for these countries to demonstrate that moving beyond oil, coal, and gas – both demand and production – is not only possible, but can be done while protecting workers, communities, and economies.
Signed,
- ACT Alliance EU – Europe
- Action Paysanne Contre la Faim – Democratic Republic of the Congo
- African Coalition For Sustainable Energy and Access – Cameroon
- Alliance Sud – Switzerland
- Alofa Tuvalu – France / Tuvalu
- Alternative Information and Development Centre – South Africa
- Alternative Technology Association – Australia
- Amazon Watch – United States
- Arab Youth Climate Muster – Lebanon
- As You Sow – United States
- Ashden – United Kingdom
- The Ashden Trust – United Kingdom
- Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development – Asia-Pacific
- Asian Peoples Movement on Debt and Development – Asia
- Association Nigérienne des Scouts de l’Environnement – Niger
- Athens County Fracking Action Network – United States
- The Australia Institute – Australia
- Australian Marine Conservation Society – Australia
- The Bellona Foundation – Norway
- Bicitekas – Mexico
- Bioroot Energy, Inc. – United States
- Bold Alliance – United States
- Both ENDS – The Netherlands
- BSF – Canada
- Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschlands (Friends of the Earth Germany) – Germany
- Campaign for a Just Energy Future – South Africa
- Canadian Interfaith Fast for the Climate – Canada
- Caravan of Non-violence – Côte d’Ivoire
- Catholic Earthcare Australia – Australia
- CatholicNetwork.us – United States
- Centar za životnu sredinu (Friends of the Earth Bosnia & Herzegovina) – Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Center for Biological Diversity – United States
- Center for International Environmental Law – United States
- Center for Justice, Governance, and Environmental Action – Kenya
- Centre for Environmental Justice – Zambia
- Centre for Environmental Rights – South Africa
- Centre for Human Rights & Climate Change Research – Nigeria
- Change Partnership – International
- Changemaker – Norway
- Citizens’ Climate Lobby Australia – Australia
- Clean Air Action Group – Hungary
- Climate Action Hobart – Australia
- Climate Action Network International – International
- Climate and Health Alliance – Australia
- Climate Change Coalition of Door County, Wisconsin – United States
- Climate Change Network Nigeria – Nigeria
- Climate Hawks Vote – United States
- Climate Justice Programme – Australia
- Climate Justice Project – United States
- Climáximo – Portugal
- CoalSwarm – United States
- Coletivo Clima – Portugal
- Collectif Causse Méjean – Gaz de Schiste NON! – France
- Columbus Community Bill of Rights – United States
- Community Action for Nature Conservation – Kenya
- Conseil Régional des Organisations Non Gouvernementales de Développement – Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Corporate Europe Observatory – Europe
- Creative Roustabouts – United States Developpement sans Frontieres – Cameroon
- DC Divest – United States
- DeCOALinize – Kenya
- DivestInvest Individual – United States
- Earth Action, Inc. – United States
- Earthlife Africa Johannesburg – South Africa
- Earthworks – United States
- EcoEquity – United States
- Ecological Society of the Philippines – Philippines
- Ecologistas en Acción – Spain
- ECOMUNIDADES, Red Ecologista de la Cuenca de México – Mexico
- EKOenergy – Finland
- Empowered African Youths Foundation – Nigeria
- Energiewende ER(H)langen e.V. – Germany
- Environics Trust – India
- Environment Centre NT – Australia
- Environmental Defence – Canada
- Environmental Justice Foundation – United Kingdom
- Environmental Rights Action (Friends of the Earth Nigeria) – Nigeria
- European Climate Foundation – Europe
- Faculty & Staff Divestment Network – United States
- Fastenopfer – Switzerland
- Fiji Medical & Dental Secretariat – Fiji
- Finance & Trade Watch – Austria
- FOCSIV – Volontari nel Mondo – Italy
- Food & Water Europe – Europe
- Food & Water Watch – United States
- Fossielvrij NL – The Netherlands
- Fossil Free Berlin – Germany
- Fossil Free California – United States
- Fossil Free South Africa – South Africa
- Foundation for Environment and Agriculture – Bulgaria
- Frack Free Lancashire – United Kingdom
- FracTracker Alliance – United States
- Framtiden i våre hender – Norway
- Franciscan Action Network – United States
- Frederick Mulder Foundation – United Kingdom
- FreshWater Accountability Project – United States
- Friends For Environmental Justice – United States
- Friends of the Century – Liberia
- Friends of the Earth Australia – Australia
- Friends of the Earth Canada – Canada
- Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland – United Kingdom
- Friends of the Earth Ghana – Ghana
- Friends of the Earth Ireland – Ireland
- Friends of the Earth Malaysia – Malaysia
- Friends of the Earth Malta – Malta
- Friends of the Earth Scotland – Scotland
- Friends with Environment in Development – Uganda
- Futerra – United Kingdom
- Futurepump – United Kingdom
- George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication – United States
- Geotourism Stewardship Council – Dominica
- GLOBAL 2000 (Friends of the Earth Austria) – Austria
- Global Catholic Climate Movement – International
- Global Climate Finance Campaign – South Africa
- Global Greengrants Fund – United States
- Global Witness – International
- Green Development Advocates – Cameroon
- The Green Institute – Australia
- Greenpeace
- groundWork (Friends of the Earth South Africa) – South Africa
- Groupe d’Action et de Recherche en Environnement et Développement – Togo
- Guernsey County Citizens Support on Drilling Issues – United States
- Hands Off Schwedeneck – Germany
- Health and Environment Alliance – Europe
- Health of Mother Earth Foundation – Nigeria
- Healthy Futures – Australia
- HEDA Resource Centre – Nigeria
- Heinrich Böll Foundation – Germany
- Honor the Earth – United States
- Iceland Nature Conservation Association – Iceland
- IDF Line – Guinea
- Idle No More SF Bay – United States
- Innoventi – Norway
- Institute for Climate & Sustainable Cities – Philippines
- International Institute for Sustainable Development – International
- INTLawyers – Switzerland
- Jeunes Volontaires pour l’Environnement – Togo
- Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust – United Kingdom
- Justica Ambiental – Mozambique
- Justice & Witness Ministries, United Church of Christ – United States
- Kulima – Mozambique
- Landscape Studio and Tropical Nursery CC – South Africa
- Les Amis de la Terre Togo (Friends of the Earth Togo) – Togo
- Leave It in the Ground Initiative – Germany
- Lund University Fossil Free – Sweden
- The Mark Leonard Trust – United Kingdom
- Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health – United States
- Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands) – The Netherlands
- Mom Loves Taiwan Association – Taiwan
- Mountain Lakes Preservation Alliance – United States
- NativesRule – Australia
- Natur og Ungdom (Young Friends of the Earth Norway) – Norway
- Natural Resources Alliance of Kenya – Kenya
- Naturvernforbundet (Friends of the Earth Norway) – Norway
- NGO Ecoclub – Ukraine
- North Country Veterans for Peace – United States
- The Norwegian Grandparents Climate Campaign – Norway
- A Nossa Terra – Associação Ambiental Portugal – Portugal
- NYU Divest – United States
- Observatorio Petrolero Sur – Argentina
- Oil Change International – International
- Oilwatch Ghana – Ghana
- Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum – Pakistan
- Pan African Climate Justice Alliance – Africa
- Philippine Movement for Climate Justice – Philippines
- Plataforma Algarve Livre de Petróleo – Portugal
- Poolden-Puckham Charitable Foundation – United Kingdom
- Power Shift Network – United States
- Prosperity For RI – United States
- Radical Independence Campaign East Kilbride – Scotland
- Rainforest Action Network – United States
- Réseau Associatif de Khnifiss – Morocco
- Residents Action on Fylde Fracking – England
- ReSource – The Netherlands
- Russian Social-Ecological Union (Friends of the Earth Russia) – Russia
- Sano Sansar Initiative – Nepal
- Save Lamu – Kenya
- Seeds for the Sol – United States
- Serve All Trust – United Kingdom
- ShareAction – United Kingdom
- Sierra Club – United States
- Sierra Leone Consortium for Climate Change and Sustainable Development – Sierra Leone
- Sierra Leone School Green Club – Sierra Leone
- Socio-Ecological Union International – Russia
- Solar Workers Union #1 – United States
- South Durban Community Environmental Alliance – South Africa
- Southern Oregon Climate Action Now – United States
- Spire Org – Norway
- Stand.earth – Canada / United States
- Stop Petróleo Vila do Bispo – Portugal
- Students for a Just and Stable Future – United States
- Sungenix Energy Solutions – United States
- Sustainable Population Australia – Australia
- SustainUS – United States
- Tedhelte – Niger
- Third World Network – Malaysia
- TierrActiva – Colombia
- UK Nanas – United Kingdom
- UK Youth Climate Coalition – United Kingdom
- Unitarian Universalist Association – United States
- Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth – United States
- Upper Valley Affinity Group – United States
- urgewald – Germany
- Walkin’Sagres – Portugal
- We Women Lanka – Sri Lanka
- West Coast Environmental Law Association – Canada
- The West Virginia Mountain Party – United States
- The Wilderness Society – Australia
- Tongu Youth Agenda for Development – Ghana
- Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom Norway – Norway
- Women Natural Resource Governance Institute – Uganda
- WoMin (African Women Unite against Destructive Resource Extraction – South Africa
- WWF-Norway – Norway
- Yes to Life No to Mining Global Solidarity Network – International
- Young Christian in Action for Development – Togo
- Young Friends of the Earth Ireland – Ireland
- Young Voices on Climate Change – United States
- YUVA Association – Turkey
- ZERO – Associação Sistema Terrestre Sustentável – Portugal
- 350 Climate Movement of Denmark – Denmark
- 350 DC – United States
- 350 Montgomery County – United States
- 350 PDX – United States
- 350 Silicon Valley – United States
- 350.org – International
