A resolution at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi has been successfully adopted by the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network.

For the first time, the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has formally acknowledged the urgent gap in international governance for fossil fuel production. The motion has the strongest-ever language on fossil fuels and explicitly names a potential Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty as a key instrument to manage a global phase-out of coal, oil, and gas and ensure a just transition.

With this vote, the IUCN becomes the first environmental-focused multilateral body to join the growing chorus for a treaty, standing alongside the World Health Organization, the European Union, and 17 nation-states. It sets a strong precedent for major summits, including COP30 in Brazil.

Image: ICUN