{"id":39713,"date":"2018-10-26T07:03:42","date_gmt":"2018-10-26T12:03:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/olduvai.ca\/?p=39713"},"modified":"2018-10-26T07:03:42","modified_gmt":"2018-10-26T12:03:42","slug":"we-need-a-fossil-fuel-non-proliferation-treaty-and-we-need-it-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/olduvai.ca\/?p=39713","title":{"rendered":"We need a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty \u2013 and we need it now"},"content":{"rendered":"
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We need a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty \u2013 and we need it now<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Climate breakdown is an imminent threat to humanity. But an international treaty could avert calamity<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"Brown<\/picture><\/div>
Brown coal power plant in North Rhine-Westphalia. \u2018Currently global demand for coal, oil and gas are all growing, with fossil fuels accounting for 81% of energy use.\u2019 Photograph: Alamy Stock Photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/header>\n
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H<\/span><\/span>ow did government respond to the recent scientific conclusion <\/a>that only \u201crapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society\u201d can deliver the globally agreed target for stopping climate breakdown? In the UK, fracking for fossil fuels<\/a>was given the green light, plans were announced for a huge new road in the south-east<\/a>, incentives for electric vehicles withered<\/a>, the expansion of Heathrow airport is still going ahead and Gatwick airport is trying to expand too<\/a> by bringing a back-up runway into use. It\u2019s like seeing a sign that says \u201cDanger: vertical cliff drop\u201d and pulling on your best running shoes to take a flying leap.<\/p>\n

Something isn\u2019t working. The head of the oil company Shell responded to the new climate science warming by clarifying that \u201cShell\u2019s core business is, and will be for the foreseeable future, very much in oil and gas.\u201d<\/a> BP announced new North Sea oil projects<\/a>. Immediate choices are being made with blank disregard to avoiding climate breakdown.<\/p>\n