The @guardian investigation discovered ⚠️ 195 carbon bombs ⚠️
These are gigantic oil & gas projects capable of producing at least 1bn tonnes of CO2 emissions over their lifetimes.
~60% of these have already started production.
22 of these carbon bombs are in the 🇺🇸 alone. 1/
In fact, the dozen biggest oil companies – including @Chevron@Shell@bp_plc@exxonmobil – are on track to ⚠️ spend $103m a day for the rest of the decade exploiting new fields of oil and gas ⚠️
These fields cannot be burned if we are to meet our global climate goals. 2/
If these fossil fuel "projects go ahead, they will blow the world’s rapidly shrinking cap on emissions that must be kept to enable a liveable future – known as the carbon budget." 3/
But it's not just the climate at risk.
1/3 of short-term expansion plans come from unconventional, riskier & inherently dangerous sources – like fracking & ultra-deep offshore drilling.
📈 "As oil & gas companies drill deeper, the # of spills, injuries & blowouts increase." 4/
🇺🇸 + 🇨🇦 + 🇦🇺 are among those with the biggest fossil fuel expansion plans & number of carbon bombs.
Here's a list of who gives the greatest fossil road fuel subsidies per capita globally. The top four? 🇸🇦🇺🇸🇨🇦🇦🇺 6/
We really do need to talk about the USA – the top source of potential emissions with 22 carbon bombs, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Permian basin, despite claiming to be a climate leader,
These projects would create 140bn tonnes of CO2 (~4x annual global emissions). 7/
“Most oil & gas companies are just proceeding with business as usual,” said Nils Bartsch, @urgewald
“Some just do not care."
"Some do not see their responsibility because governments around the world let them proceed" 8/
This is despite climate scientists stating that delaying a fossil fuel phase out means missing our chance “to secure a liveable & sustainable future for all”.
In fact, @UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres warned world leaders: “Our addiction to fossil fuels is killing us” 9/
The authors also flag that "assessing oil & gas developments is challenging: the sector is complex & often secretive, public information is scarce & hard to find & assess."
The investigation finishes with a crucial question at the heart of the call for a #FossilFuelTreaty:
"Will richer countries, historically most responsible for emissions, support a just transition for developing countries on the frontline of the escalating crisis?" 11/
It is clear that the fossil fuel industry will not change course on their own.
"If governments do not act, the companies could cash in as the world burns." /12
❌ Yet there is no international mechanism to manage this transition.
The #ParisAgreement doesn't mention fossil fuels & there is "no mention of oil & gas in the #COP26 final deal"
Excellent work by everyone involved in this major investigation into carbon bombs – including @urgewald, @CarbonBubble the @guardian team & of course @kjellkuehne & @LINGOInitiative who led the way in sounding the alarm on carbon bombs.
The @UN #SummitOfTheFuture2024 is our chance to take decisive action against climate change. 🌍🤝
In a powerful letter, global figures like @DalaiLama, @Yunus_Centre, and @MaryRobinson01 are calling out the dangerous omission of fossil fuels from the @UN #SummitOfTheFuture2024 draft. 🌡️🔥
A bloc of Pacific nation-states is calling for the negotiation of a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
They have called for support to manage a just transition to a "Fossil Fuel Free Pacific"
Instead, Australia just approved a new coal mine 😡 #auspol
Last year, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said “One of the ways that we increase our standing in the region, and in particular in the Pacific, is by taking climate change seriously."
Yet in the past 6 weeks, his government has approved 2 new coal mines.
Fossil fuels are the primary cause of the climate crisis, responsible for 86% of emissions in the past decade.
The International Energy Agency & the latest IPCC report have made it clear — to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, no new fossil fuel projects can be opened.
⚠️💀While the #Amazon urgently needs to be considered as a #FossilFuel Free Zone, the Peruvian government 🇵🇪 is giving #oil a new boost by promoting internationally a series of reserves that are home to 435 #indigenous communities.
🛢️Without consulting local populations, @Perupetrosa promoted 31 areas with potential for hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation to international investors meeting in Texas.
👀An investigation from @Ojo_Publico reveals that of the 31 areas, 25 are located in the #Amazon and overlap with 435 indigenous communities in Loreto, Ucayali and Madre de Dios, and two reserves for indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation #PIACI ojo-publico.com/4416/nuevas-ar…
🇨🇴 Colombia's leadership for a world free of fossil fuels and for a just energy transition is important at the national, regional and global levels. The recent commitment of the Ministry of the Environment is an important signal for the region and the world.
Follow the thread 🧵:
At the Forum of Ministers of the Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean, the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia, @susanamuhamad, defended that there should be limits to the exploitation of #oil and #gas 👇
@susanamuhamad said that "to reduce emissions on the scale we need and to have a just energy transition, it is necessary to stop the proliferation of fossil fuels, especially oil and gas exploration in climate pillars such as the Arctic and the Amazon."
El liderazgo de #Colombia por un mundo libre de combustibles fósiles y para la transición energética justa es importante a nivel nacional, regional y mundial. El reciente compromiso de @MinAmbienteCo es una señal importante para la región y el mundo. Sigue el 🧵:
En el Foro de Ministros y Ministras de Medio Ambiente de América Latina y el Caribe, la Ministra de Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible de Colombia, @susanamuhamad, defendió que se pongan límites en la frontera de la explotación de #petróleo y #gas 👇
@susanamuhamad dijo que "para la reducción de emisiones en la escala que necesitamos y una #TransicionEnergetica#Justa, es necesario frenar la proliferación de combustibles fósiles, sobre todo la exploración de petróleo y gas en pilares climáticos como el Ártico y el Amazonas"
🧵 for info... including how this could impact a #FossilFuelTreaty resolution being considered by the State of California this week.
@SierraClub is the latest to endorse the proposal, joining:
🇻🇺 Vanuatu
🇹🇻 Tuvalu
🇪🇺 European Parliament
🌉 80 cities & subnational governments
🏥 @WHO & hundreds of health institutions
🌍 2,100+ civil society orgs
🪧 Thousands of youth activists
🕊️ 101 Nobel Laureates
Sierra Club’s endorsement of the #FossilFuelTreaty comes just 48 hours ahead of a Senate Hearing in the State of California on a resolution that would see the world's largest subnational government also formally endorse the proposal.