The IPCC must make clear: a liveable future requires a rapid and equitable phase-out of fossil fuels, not reliance on speculative technologies.
We — frontline communities, Indigenous Peoples, civil society organizations, and climate justice movements — welcome the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) over the last months and years of the 6th Assessment Cycle (AR6) in collating the available literature on climate change. As governments come together to conclude AR6, we are calling on the IPCC and governments to ensure that the upcoming Synthesis Report (SYR) and Summary for Policymakers (SPM) provide a clear, sufficient and honest account of the real drivers of the climate crisis. These documents must prioritize pathways that focus on near-term climate action, real solutions and system change.
The IPCC’s own findings make it clear that a rapid and equitable phase-out of all fossil fuels is necessary to avoid overshoot and minimize irreversible harm to people and ecosystems. Given the inequitable and catastrophic impact that exceeding a global temperature rise of 1.5°C will have on human rights and equity, planning for overshoot on the premise that it can be reversed by geoengineering techno-fixes is indefensible. The scientific findings collated by the IPCC in underlying reports must not be compromised by political pressure to weaken language on well-known risks and instead highlight real solutions.
The AR6 Synthesis Report must be a wake-up call to decision-makers around the world and provide clear guidance for these critical years of ambitious climate action and climate justice.
For the AR6 Approval Session coming up in Interlaken, Switzerland, 13-17 March 2023, the undersigned urge that the AR6 SYR Summary for Policymakers:
Clearly foregrounds the central role and scale of fossil fuel production and use in driving the climate crisis and the need for a rapid and equitable phase-out of all fossil fuels (oil, gas and coal). The SPM must highlight the necessity and feasibility of rapidly reducing (via emission cuts, not emission removals) CO 2 and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across global industries and supply chains to avoid overshooting 1.5°C and unleashing further irreversible harm. The IPCC must resist political pressure that would lead to misrepresenting, ignoring or downplaying core findings from its own reports regarding the central role of fossil fuels.
Provides an accurate account of the risks, implications, and dangers of relying on large-scale Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies, in line with findings in the IPCC’s own reports. The IPCC must not suggest speculative technologies or offsets that provide excuses to not pursue deep emissions reductions achieved through transformative changes to systems and societies. These speculative technologies not only assume a continued use of fossil fuels, they are also expensive, ineffective and trade-off rights and ecosystem protection while delaying a fossil fuel phase-out and a just transition to 100% renewable energy. The IPCC must protect the integrity of the scientific findings from political manipulation to not mislead policymakers. The IPCC should emphasize the core findings from its AR6 reports that outline the danger that speculative technologies pose to human safety, biodiversity and rights.
Centres equity, social justice and rights-based approaches and prioritizes realistic scenarios and pathways that do not depend on speculative technologies. There are real and proven solutions that centre justice, equity and rights-based approaches and could avoid catastrophic climate chaos. They include: immediately slashing emissions through rapid and equitable phase-out of fossil fuel production and use; halting deforestation and industrial agriculture; changes to industrial and global supply chains; fairly transitioning to renewable energy; equitable climate finance to underpin solutions in the Global South and in marginalised communities; drastically reducing the excessive overconsumption of the Global North and elites in the Global South; rectifying the accumulation of carbon inequality; challenging the (extractive and unsustainable) dogma and drivers of economic growth and corporate profits; respecting and fulfilling the rights, sovereignty and jurisprudence of Indigenous Peoples’ lands and territories while respecting and upholding their traditional knowledge; and supporting peasants’ rights.
Transparently and responsibly communicates any limitations and assumptions in the Integrated Assessment Models and pathways. Many of the modelling frameworks relied upon in the IPCC AR6 Working Group III Report assume an increase of global inequalities and incorporate the drivers of the crises: endless economic growth, continued fossil fuel production and extractivism whilst excusing the responsibility of historical emitters and discounting the possibility of social, political and economic change. The assumptions in these models go against the IPCC’s own findings, which acknowledge economic growth as a driver of climate change as well as inequity and vulnerability caused by historical and ongoing patterns of colonialism. Policymakers’ reliance on these models for decision-making about real-world policy choices risks cementing business as usual and increasing inequalities.
Worryingly, the pathways relied upon in the IPCC reports are dominated by speculative technologies with unrealistic technical assumptions as opposed to pathways that achieve emission reductions via systemic change. The models and academic literature underpinning the pathways currently used have severe gaps and limitations that do not reflect our complex world. They exclude and discount, amongst other things, Traditional Indigenous Knowledge (TIK), community knowledge, present-day evidence of the feasibility of renewable energy roll- out, and societal tipping points in the transformation. They also disregard international precautionary regulations that caution against testing and deployment of geoengineering, including a de-facto moratorium on all geoengineering agreed by the Convention on Biological Diversity (X/33, 2010).
Emphasizes the dangers and risks of Solar Radiation Modification (SRM). The Synthesis Report and Summary for Policy Makers must reinforce clear warnings of the IPCC’s Working Group II SPM on Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability as well as the IPCC’s Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C on the novel and possibly catastrophic risks that the deployment of Solar Radiation Modification (SRM) would pose for people and ecosystems, as well as form international cooperation, global security and peace.
The stakes could not be any higher and the imperative for immediate action any greater. The IPCC AR6 reports show clearly: Thriving life, communities and ecosystems depend on fundamental system changes, not on incremental steps or disruptive techno-fixes. The Synthesis Report’s SPM must uplift these critical findings — not bury them.
Initiated by the following members of the Hands Off Mother Earth! (HOME!) Alliance
Biofuelwatch
Centre for International Environmental Law
ETC Group
Friends of the Earth International
Indigenous Environmental Network
What Next?
And Signed By
INTERNATIONAL
Action Aid international
Amazon Watch
Asian Peoples Movement on Debt and Development
Climate Refugees
Corporate Accountability
European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
FIAN International
Fuerza Mundial Global - Contunuum, Women Of The Americas
Gallifrey Foundation
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Laudato Si Movement
La Via Campesina
Leave it in the Ground Initiative (LINGO)
Music Declares Emergency
Novasutras
Oil Change International
Oxfam
Stand.earth
Stay Grounded
War on Want
WECF International - Women Engage for a Common Future
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
AFRICA
AbibiNsroma Foundation
Actions de Récupération, Orientation des Mineurs et Autres Personnes Nécessiteuses "AROM-APN"
Actions pour la Réinsertions Sociale de la Femme "ARSF"
Africa Network Doe Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ)
Africa Technology Assessment Platform
African Children Empowerment
Afrikagrupperna
Association des Agriculteurs Sans Frontières, AASF-DRCONGO
Association des femmes et enfants sans voix, AFEV RDC
Association Des Jeunes Unis Pour le Développement et des Personnes Eprouvées
Bio Vision Africa (BiVA)
Care About Climate (Kenya)
Care About climate (Nigeria)
Centre d'Appui Pour le Developpement Integre de Lukolela
Centre d’encadrement de paysans au Congo en sigle Congo-Cpa
Centre de Développement Durable et Intégral Marie de la Miséricorde (CDDIMM )en sigle
Centre for Citizens Conserving Environment & Management (CECIC)
Centre for Human Rights & Governance
Cercle des Jeunes Ambassadeurs du Climat, CJAC
Citizens network for community development Zambia
Climate Action Network Arab World
Climate Justice Africa
Codel Kayna Conseil Des Organisations De Developpement Local De Kayna RD Congo
Congo Basin Conservation Society CBCS
COSOPAX
DION (NGO Network of Small Island Developing States)
Dynamique de Développement Communautaire DDC
Educuality
Egi women human rights and environmental justice initiative
Environmental civil society
Environment Governance Institute
Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria
Fédération des Coopérative des Pays de Mayoko FECOPAM
FFF Goma
Fridays for Future Nigeria
Fridays for future Sierraleone
Fridays For Future Tanzania
Friends of the Earth Africa
GenderCC SA - Women for Climate Justice
Green Revolution Initiatives GRI
Groupes d'actions pour le Développement 'GRAD
Health of Mother Earth Foundation
IFPPD
Innovation pour le Développement et la Protection de l'Environnement
Institut pour la gouvernance et éducation électorale
ISDR/BUKAVU
Jeunes champions
Mouvement international ATD quart Monde
New Apostolic Centre for Development
NGO 350 Cote D’Ivoire
Rapen
Rise up
SDDNATURE (Science et Développement Durable Nature)
Société civile environnemental Sud Kivu
Société civile environnementale agro-rurale au Congo
Société civile environnementale de Kabare
Société civile environnementale. Réseau des jeunes engagé dans la protection des zones humides dans la province du sud kivu. Doyen Club XR Eextiction ISDR - Bukavu RDC
Solidarite sans frontières RDC
South Durban Community Environmental Alliance
Strong Roots Congo
Sustainable Development Institute
Synergie des étudiants de Walungu/ Sud Kivu Sewa
Terre à Vie
Tous Contre les Changements Climatique (TCCC-ONGD)
TRAFFED-RDC , Amis d'AROCHA, Organisation environnementale interconfessionnelles
Transcultural Psychosocial Organisation TPO DRC
Vision plus pour le développement durable RDC
Women for Equal Chances-Congo
ASIA
Aniban ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (AMA) - Pilipinas
Association For Promotion Sustainable Development
Bright Green Energy Foundation
Care About Climate (Indonesia)
Centre for Environmental Justice
Centre for Financial Accountability
Citizen consumer and Civic Action Group (CAG)
Climate Christian Solidarity
Consumers' Association of Penang
Ecological Observation and Wetland Conservation (ECOTON)
Ecosoum
FFF Lebanon
FoE Japan
Fridays for Future Indonesia
Health Care Without Harm SE Asia
Incorporated Organization Shilcheon Bulgyo
Indian Social Action Forum
Inter-religious Climate and Ecology Network
Kikandwa Environmental Association
Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center-Friends of the Earth Philippines
Mom Loves Taiwan Association
Movement for Advancing Understanding of Sustainability And Mutuality MAUSAM
Nabd Development and Evolution Organization (NDEO)
NGO Forum on ADB
Online Knowledge Society
PAIRVI (Public Advocacy Initiatives for Rights & Values in India)
Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum
University Student Chamber International (UNISC International)
Youth 4 Climate Action (South Korea)
Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines
Youth For Climate Turkey
기후행동은평전환연대
EUROPE
Academia Cidadã - Citizenship Academy
Adéquations
Association Congolaise Pour le Développement Agricole ACFA-France
Attac France
Both ENDS
Centro di Ricerca Euro Americano sulle Politiche Costituzionali (UniSalento - UniGuayaquil)
Citizens' Climate Europe
Društvo Ekologi brez meja
Eco Action Families
Eco Dharma Network
EELV Hors de France
Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA)
Extinction Rebellion Ipswich
Fern
Fresh Eyes
Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Friends of the Earth Germany/ BUND
Friends of the Earth Ireland
Friends of the Earth Scotland
Global Forest Coalition
Global Justice Now
Global Witness
Greenskills
Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport
HERO UK Climate Justice Circle
Iceland Nature Conservation Association
Institute for Sustainability, Equity and Resilience
Jordens Vänner / Friends of the Earth Sweden
Justice and Peace Coordinating Council, Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle
Klimastreik Switzerland
Les Amis de la Terre France
London Mining Network
No Plastic In My Sea
Plastic Change
Rapid Transition Alliance
Razom We Stand
Recourse
Rodzice dla Klimatu - Parents For Future Poland
Runder Tisch Erneuerbare Energien (RT EE)
Sapientia
Save This Place
Saudade marketing
Sciences Citoyennes
Semnar / Saatgutpolitik & Wissenschaft
SHE Changes Climate
Shine Coaching and Consultancy
Society for Earth (TNZ)
SriEvent
Stop Ecocide NL
Stowstargazers
Swedwatch
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) UK
Valuing Voices
Walking Pictures Ltd.
We are here Venice
WeSmellGas
World Animal Protection
Zelena akcija / FoE Croatia
Zero Waste Society
LATIN AMERICA
ANAFAE
ATD QUART MONDE, Bioget and Sant’Egidio
Censat Agua Viva (Friends of the Earth Colombia)
Centro de Documentación en Derechos Humanos "Segundo Montes Mozo S.J." (CSMM)
Centro de Estudios Heñói
Centro Ecológico
COESUS Coalicion LatinoAmericana Contra El Fracking
Colectivo Barrio, Ciudad y Convivencia
Colectivo por la Autonomía
Colectivo VientoSur
Continental Network of Indigenous Women of the Americas (ECMIA)
Corporación Grupo Semillas
Equidad de Género: Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia
Fórum Mudanças Climáticas e Justiça Socioambiental - FMCJS
Fundacion Aguaclara
Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (FARN)
Fundacion Chile Sustentable
Fundación Pro Defensa de la Naturaleza y sus Derechos
Independent
Iniciativa Amotocodie
Instituto Internacional Arayara
Justiça Ambiental JA! - Friends of the Earth Mozambique
Nordeste pelo Clima
OCM Observatorio do Carvao Mineral
OPG Observatorio do Petroleo e Gás
Padres por el Futuro Latinoamérica
Parents for Future Latinoamerica
Parents For Future Monterrey
Parents for Future Uruguay
Plataforma Bolivianas Frente al Cambio Climático
Reacción Climática
Red de Acción por los Derechos Ambientales RADA
Red de Coordinación en Biodiversidad
Red de Información y Acción Ambiental de Veracruz
RedAfros
SOBREVIVENCIA, Amigos de la Tierra Paraguay
Sociedad Amigos del Viento meteorología-ambiente-desarrollo
Water Justice and Gender
NORTH AMERICA
350 Colorado
Azul
Association for Canadian Educational Resources (ACER)
Bank Information Center
Bay Area-System Change not Climate Change (BA-SCnCC)
Below2C
Better Path Coalition
Burnaby Climate Hub
Burnaby Residents Opposing Kinder Morgan Expansion-BROKE
Canadian Association for the Club of Rome
Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
Care About Climate (USA)
Center for Biological Diversity
Citizens' Climate Lobby Canada
Citizens' Climate Lobby International
CleanAirNow
Climate Action for Lifelong Learners (CALL)
Climate Emergency Institute
Climate Reality Project, Portland Chapter
Climate Reality Project: Susquehanna Valley PA Chapter
Community Energy reSource
Concerned Health Professionals of Pennsylvania
Crockett Rodeo United to Defend the Evironment
Decolonial Solidarity
Earth Ethics, Inc.
Ecologos Environmental Organization / Water Docs
EEM Environmental & Social Impact Ltd.
Environmental Defence Canada
Food & Water Watch
For Our Kids Toronto
FreshWater Accountability Project
Friends of the Earth Canada
Friends of the Earth US
Global Carbon Fee-And-Dividend Petition
Living Oceans Society
Ministry for Social Justice, Peace, and Creation Care - Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto
Mother Earth Project
New Brunswick Anti-Shale Gas Alliance
North American Climate, Conservation and Environment(NACCE)
Oil & Gas Action Network
Ontario Climate Emergency Campaign
Our Revolution Michigan
Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania
Physicians for Social Responsibility- AZ
Pivot Point
Plant based treaty
Plastic Free Future
Preserve Giles County
Progressive Democrats of America
Protect the Planet
Qathet Climate Alliance
San Juan Collaborative for Health Equity
Santa Cruz Climate Action Network
Saskatchewan Coalition for Sustainable Development
Save our streams, PA
Schuylkill Pipeline Awareness
Seniors for Climate Action Now! (SCAN!)
Seventh Generation Initiative
Shiprock Traditional Farmers Cooperative
Social Eco Education (SEE-LA)
Society of Native Nations
TEAL Climate
The ChariTree Foundation
The Climate Reality Project Canada
The Global Sunrise Project
UUJusticePA Environmental team
Vote Climate
Wall of Women
PACIFIC
Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC)
Castlemaine Free University
Centre for Climate Safety
Extinction Rebellion
Fiji Council of Social Services
Griffith University
Nibbled Earth
Pacific Islands Council of Queensland, Climate Advocacy Team
Qaqi Mai: Bike Share Fiji
