V-02 Beschluss: Ausstieg aus fossilen Energieträgern einleiten: Grüne unterstützen die Lofoten Deklaration

BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN unterstützen die Forderungen der Lofoten Deklaration, in der mehr als
200 zivilgesellschaftliche Gruppen am 07.09.2017 Länder, Regionen und Unternehmen
auffordern, vor dem Hintergrund der Pariser Klimaziele die Erkundung und Ausbeutung fossiler
Energieträger zu beenden und einen gemanagten Abbau des fossilen Sektors einzuleiten.

The Lofoten Declaration

Climate Leadership Requires a Managed Decline of Fossil Fuel
Production

Global climate change is a crisis of unprecedented scale, and it will take unprecedented
action to avoid the worst consequences of our dependence on oil, coal, and gas. Equally as
critical as reducing demand and emissions is the need for immediate and ambitious action to
stop exploration and expansion of fossil fuel projects and manage the decline of existing
production in line with what is necessary to achieve the Paris climate goals.

Clean, safe, and renewable fuels are already redefining how we see energy and it is time for
nations to fully embrace 21st century energy and phase out fossil fuels.

The Lofoten Declaration affirms that it is the urgent responsibility and moral obligation of
wealthy fossil fuel producers to lead in putting an end to fossil fuel development and to
manage the decline of existing production.

We stand in solidarity with, and offer our full support for, the growing wave of impacted
communities around the world who are taking action to defend and protect their lives and
livelihoods in the face of fossil fuel extraction and climate change. It is a priority to
elevate these efforts. Frontline communities are the leaders we must look to as we all work
together for a safer future.

A global transition to a low carbon future is already well underway. Continued expansion of
oil, coal, and gas is only serving to hinder the inevitable transition while at the same
time exacerbating conflicts, fuelling corruption, threatening biodiversity, clean water and
air, and infringing on the rights of Indigenous Peoples and vulnerable communities.

Energy access and demand are and must now be met fully through the clean energies of the
21st century. Assertions that new fossil fuels are needed for this transformation are not
only inaccurate; they also undermine the speed and penetration of clean energy.

We recognize that a full transition away from fossil fuels will take decades, but also, that
this shift is an opportunity more than a burden. We are in a deep hole with climate. We must
begin by not digging ourselves any deeper.

Research shows that the carbon embedded in existing fossil fuel production will take us far
beyond safe climate limits. Thus, not only are new exploration and new production
incompatible with limiting global warming to well below 2ºC (and as close to 1.5ºC as
possible), but many existing projects will need to be phased-out faster than their natural
decline.

This task should be first addressed by countries, regions, and corporate actors who are best
positioned in terms of wealth and capacity to undergo an ambitious just transition away from
fossil fuel production. In particular, leadership must come from countries that are high-
income, have benefitted from fossil fuel extraction, and that are historically responsible
for significant emissions.

We call on these governments and companies to recognize that continued fossil fuel
exploration and production without a managed decline and a just transition is irreconcilable
with meaningful climate action. We also note that there are tremendous leadership
opportunities for these countries to demonstrate that moving beyond oil, coal, and gas –
both demand and production – is not only possible, but can be done while protecting workers,
communities, and economies.