Business Coalition Calls for Fossil Fuel Phase-Out

Even as criticisms continue about the disproportionate influence of fossil fuel and private sector lobbyists during the COP30 meetings in Belém, Brazil, a coalition of more than 100 businesses, business groups and subnational governments has launched a petition calling on the COP30 Presidency to accelerate implementation of the clean-energy transition. 

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More than 100 organizations, including businesses and business groups, have urged governments to agree to start developing a roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels, as agreed under the first Global Stocktake at COP28 in Dubai.  

Transparency non-profit Global Witness counted more than 1,600 fossil fuel lobbyists on the ground at COP30, the largest ever share at any COP sessions. However, business leaders, industry representatives, and activists emphasize that business is not monolithic, and the fossil fuel industry does not represent their interests. 

“A robust, credible roadmap would help countries and businesses plan the shift to clean energy, strengthen energy security and reduce costs for consumers. Anchoring the roadmap in real-world momentum toward clean energy and electrification would provide much-needed clarity for investment and national implementation,” the letter states. 

It also affirms that any roadmap away from fossil fuels will need to reflect the “different starting points” across countries and regions, and be co-developed to support a fair transition. 

The letter was coordinated by business climate action non-profit We Mean Business Coalition, a coalition made up of Climate Group, Ceres, WBCSD, BSR, Corporate Leaders Groups, B Team and CDP, and signed by companies and networks active across global value chains, subnational governments and wider real-economy actors. 

Signatories include by Volvo Cars, Ingka Group, Signify, Saint-Gobain, EDF, Natura, Unilever, Velux, Fortescue, Posti Group and H&M Group – business groups representing more than 100,000 companies; the IIGCC investor group, which represents more than 400 members with over £50trillion in assets under management; the C40 network of cities; health organizations, and other implementation actors.

Maria Mendiluce, CEO of the We Mean Business Coalition, said, “At COP30 we know the real economy is telling us two things: clean energy is accelerating fast, and fossil fuels can be phased out. Business has adjusted its investment decisions to these facts. Now governments need to be bold enough to align national policy with the transition that is already happening. A roadmap from COP30 would give countries the clarity and structure needed to catch up on the emissions reductions gap.” 

Sustainable business is also crucial to human rights, according to Astrid Puentes Riaño, UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. “There are lots of kinds of businesses, and the fossil fuel industry is also impacting a lot of businesses. Many businesses are directly related to advancing human rights, such as ocean protection or community renewable energy,” she told Earth.Org. 

Smart Freight Centre, which works with businesses on electric trucks, is a signatory organization of the petition. Its founder and board member, Sophie Punte, told Earth.Org in a written message that the organization supports the petition because “companies investing in electric trucks and charging infrastructure need policy certainty to invest.” 

“A clear roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels gives that certainty,” she added.

Featured image: UN Climate Change/Kiara Worth via Flickr.

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