Reacting to the just-ended Santa Marta conference on transitioning away from fossil fuels, Teresa Anderson, Global Lead on Climate Justice at ActionAid International, said:
“So many governments expressed real hunger to be free from the economic and climate harm of fossil fuel dependence. This was a watershed moment in which the collective mind became truly focused on the common cause of ending the fossil fuel era.
“What set this conference apart was the willingness to dive into and address the complex challenges of our fossil-fuelled world. The debt crisis, which keeps so many countries trapped on the fossil fuel treadmill against their will, came up repeatedly. Phasing out fossil fuels is not only a matter of energy transition, but also economic transformation, requiring just transitions and climate finance.
“Santa Marta is a major milestone on our journey out of the fossil fuel era. It must set the stage for a new Fossil Fuel Treaty for the countries that are ready to lead the world down this path”.
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Teresa is available for media engagements. Contact media-enquiries@actionaid.org to arrange.