As the world races against time to curb catastrophic climate change, a new international effort is building momentum to address a problem at its root. The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, a bold initiative led by climate activist Tzeporah Berman, is rapidly emerging as one of the most ambitious attempts to stop the expansion of coal, oil, and gas production. This campaign, which seeks to fill a gap left by decades of climate negotiations focused mainly on emissions and energy demand, is now preparing for a key moment at the upcoming COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil.

The idea behind the treaty is simple but transformative. It seeks to initiate global negotiations to phase out fossil fuel production by bringing together countries, cities, and communities that are committed to ending new exploration and expansion. With a growing number of nations and public institutions backing the concept, organizers believe COP30 could mark the start of formal talks to draft and implement the treaty.

Why the Fossil Fuel Treaty is Needed?

Global emissions remain dangerously high, and fossil fuels are still the primary driver of the climate crisis. According to leading climate science, the world is on track to produce over 110 percent more fossil fuels by 2030 than would be compatible with keeping global warming under two degrees Celsius. Despite decades of warnings from scientists, governments continue to pour resources into oil and gas expansion. Berman and her supporters argue that the time has come to treat fossil fuel production not as an inevitability, but as a policy choice that can and must be reversed.

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At the core of the campaign is the recognition that the market is not functioning fairly. Massive government subsidies continue to shield the fossil fuel industry from risk and allow it to outcompete clean alternatives. Rather than supporting this status quo, the treaty calls for coordinated action to halt the development of new coal, oil, and gas infrastructure. Berman frames this as a necessary evolution in climate diplomacy, one that addresses both supply and demand in tandem.

A Movement Built on Global Solidarity

What began as a radical proposal has rapidly evolved into a global movement with wide-ranging support. Civil society has mobilized strongly, with more than four thousand organizations, from environmental groups to health professionals and faith leaders, officially endorsing the initiative. Over one hundred Nobel laureates have publicly backed the treaty, alongside more than three thousand scientists. The campaign has also gained traction at the city level, with major urban centers and subnational governments—including the state of California, passing motions in support of the treaty’s aims.

Seventeen countries are actively engaged in developing the treaty framework, and ten additional nations are observing discussions with growing interest. Organizers expect more formal endorsements in the months leading up to COP30 and hope that the momentum at Belém will push the initiative into the next phase of global diplomacy.

The Amazon as a Strategic and Symbolic Launch Point

Belém, situated at the edge of the Amazon rainforest, offers a powerful symbol for the campaign’s vision. Indigenous communities in the Amazon have long called for a halt to fossil fuel drilling in their territories, and Colombia recently became the first nation to endorse a “Fossil-Free Amazon” declaration. That commitment includes both a moratorium on new fossil fuel exploration in the region and a broader push to align climate and conservation goals.

By centering the treaty’s momentum in the Amazon, the campaign links global climate targets to the lived realities of frontline communities. It also serves as a reminder that leadership on climate solutions often comes from the Global South, where the impacts of extraction are most severe and the calls for justice are loudest.

Confronting Climate Justice and Equity

The question of fairness is central to the treaty’s long-term viability. Many developing countries have relied on fossil fuel extraction to finance their economies, and any global agreement to limit production must account for historical responsibility and financial disparities. The treaty campaign has been working on solutions that acknowledge these concerns while building a sustainable path forward.

A finance working group composed largely of experts from the Global South is currently exploring options such as debt relief, trade and tax reforms, and just transition funding. These measures would help ensure that countries choosing to limit fossil fuel production receive meaningful support and are not left behind in the shift to clean energy. Berman emphasizes that fossil fuel development has rarely delivered on its promises of prosperity for these regions, often leaving a legacy of pollution, corruption, and economic dependence.

A New Vision for International Law and Policy

The treaty is inspired by past successes in international diplomacy, such as the bans on landmines and chemical weapons. In those cases, a small group of committed countries created new legal norms that eventually influenced even non-signatory states. The hope is that a similar shift can happen with fossil fuels, creating a new global standard that rejects further expansion as incompatible with planetary safety.

Berman is clear that this approach is not aimed at punishing producers, but at resetting the global narrative. In her view, fossil fuels are no longer a matter of national pride or industrial necessity. They are a threat to human life and planetary health, killing millions each year through pollution and contributing to the climate-driven disasters now seen around the world.

COP30 and the Road Ahead

As COP30 approaches, the treaty campaign is intensifying its diplomatic outreach. High-level meetings between ministers and negotiators are being planned in the lead-up to the summit, and the goal is to make a major announcement at Belém that signals a new chapter in climate diplomacy. Organizers believe the treaty will soon have enough backers to begin formal negotiations, even if major producers like the United States are not yet ready to join.

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Berman argues that transformative ideas often seem unrealistic until they are not. Renewable energy, once dismissed as too costly or inefficient, now powers entire nations and is rapidly becoming cheaper than fossil fuels. She believes that supply-side climate policy is the next leap forward and that the fossil fuel treaty can serve as a catalyst for this shift.

Building a Fossil-Free Future Requires Courage

The transition away from fossil fuels will not be easy. It will require deep structural changes, especially in countries that have long relied on oil, coal, and gas as economic pillars. But the treaty campaign is based on the premise that climate action must be aligned with equity, justice, and a shared vision of planetary stewardship. For this to happen, the world must stop treating fossil fuel production as inevitable and start treating it as a choice.

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