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SEI working paper

Addressing fossil fuel production under the UNFCCC: Paris and beyond

This working paper describes how countries can more explicitly address the phasing out of fossil fuel production within the current architecture of the Paris Agreement.

Michael Lazarus, Peter Erickson, Harro van Asselt, Georgia Piggot / Published on 22 September 2017
Citation

Piggot, G., Erickson, P., Lazarus, M., van Asselt, H. (2017). Addressing fossil fuel production under the UNFCCC: Paris and beyond. SEI Working Paper. Stockholm Environment Institute, Stockholm. (Note: an updated version of this working paper has been published in Climate Policy)


A group of negotiators holding their hands up in triumph at the Paris Climate Change Conference, November 2015.

The Paris Agreement has a goal to keep warming “well below” 2 degrees Celsius, but it does not explicitly address fossil fuel production. Photo credit: UNclimatechange / Flickr

Reducing fossil fuel supply is necessary to meet the Paris Agreement goal to keep warming “well below” 2 degrees Celsius. Yet, the Paris Agreement is silent on the topic of fossil fuels.

This paper outlines reasons why it is important that Parties to the Agreement find ways to more explicitly address the phasing out of fossil fuel production under the UNFCCC. We describe how countries aiming to keep fossil fuel supply in line with Paris goals could articulate and report their actions within the current architecture of the Agreement. We also outline specific mechanisms of the Paris Agreement through which issues related to the curtailment of fossil fuel supply can be addressed.

Mapping out a transition away from fossil fuels – and facilitating this transition under the auspices of the UNFCCC – can enhance the ambition and effectiveness of national and international climate mitigation efforts.

An updated version of this working paper has been published in Climate Policy.

Read the journal article based on this paper

Download the working paper (PDF, 1 MB)

Read the policy brief based on this paper

SEI authors

Michael Lazarus
Michael Lazarus

Senior Scientist

SEI US

Peter Erickson

SEI Affiliated Researcher

SEI US

Profile picture of Harro van Asselt
Harro van Asselt

SEI Affiliated Researcher

SEI US

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