Dozens of nations call for fossil fuel phase-out at Pre-COP meeting

During a Pre-COP preparatory meeting in Fiji, dozens of nations issued a joint declaration calling for an ambitious fight against global warming. The group specifically demanded a gradual phase-out of coal, oil, and gas, alongside a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions “strongly, quickly, and sustainably.”

Participants emphasized the need to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030, aligning with previous consensus reached at the UN Climate Conference in Dubai. The meeting included representatives from highly vulnerable island nations such as Tuvalu and Mauritius, as well as Australia, Nepal, and the United Arab Emirates.

Signatories warned that every fraction of a degree of warming increases the risk of irreversible damage, particularly for small island states and least developed countries. The declaration also noted the growing momentum toward establishing new global electrification goals ahead of the upcoming world climate conference in Turkey.