1,081,851 of 1,300,000 signatures

To European governments, parliaments and EU institutions

Petition

Pull out of the Energy Charter Treaty and stop its expansion to other countries! The treaty allows coal, oil and gas corporations to obstruct the transition to a clean energy system. Disarm fossil fuel firms now, so they can no longer impede urgent climate action!

Why is this important?

We’re paying massive fines to fossil fuel companies. Europeans could end up paying over 7 billion euro to oil, gas and coal companies for taking climate action. [1]

Oil and gas company Rockhopper is demanding 260 million euro from the Italians for banning new oil fields on its coast.
Ascent wants 120 million from Slovenian taxpayers for prioritising the environment over gas fracking.
Vattenfall sued the German people for €4.3 billion when it decided to phase out nuclear power.
And the Dutch people are set to pay 2.4 billion euros to RWE and Uniper for phasing out coal! [2]

The time to avoid a climate catastrophe is quickly running out. [3] But fossil fuel companies are holding our governments hostage through the threat of being sued for extortionate fines. They are blocking our governments from making the decisions we need to save our climate.

This toxic fossil fuel treaty - officially called the Energy Charter Treaty - is a blast from the past, from a period when governments were in climate denial. [4] Yet, fossil fuel companies are clinging to it for dear life because it means they can protect their profits.

But protecting profits means suing governments who dare put people and planet first. When they win, governments have to pay compensation with our public money. Public money that could go to green investments, education and hospitals instead of continuing to line the pockets of the biggest polluters.

But we are gaining ground from the big polluters. Italy has already ended its membership of this toxic treaty, European Parliamentarians support our call and now it is up to our countries to choose a side. But for this to happen, our energy ministers need to hear our personal messages on why we care.

References:

Oil and gas company Rockhopper is demanding 260 million euro from the Italians for banning new oil fields on its coast. Ascent wants 120 million from Slovenian taxpayers for prioritising the environment over gas fracking. Vattenfall sued the German people for €4.3 billion when it decided to phase out nuclear. And the Dutch people are set to pay 2.4 billion euros to RWE and Uniper for phasing out coal!
https://energy-charter-dirty-secrets.org/#section5
https://friendsoftheearth.eu/press-release/uk-fracking-company-sues-slovenia-over-environmental-protection/
https://www.investigate-europe.eu/en/2021/ect/
https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/energy-charter-treaty-strikes-again-as-uniper-sues-netherlands-over-coal-phase-out/
https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/germanys-rwe-uses-energy-charter-treaty-to-challenge-dutch-coal-phase-out/
https://energy-charter-dirty-secrets.org/#section5
https://act.wemove.eu/campaigns/stop-big-pollutors
https://foeeurope.org/sites/default/files/climate_justice/2020/ect_axe_to_climate_action.pdf

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1,081,851

of 1,300,000 signatures

Recent comments

Robert

Money-based lock-in to energy of the past. It's a shit deal, so I don't want it. And fossil companies are... not nice.

Jane

Because the Earth is the most precious thing we have!

Jane

Because the Earth is the most precious thing we have!

Blossom

If I stop buying any form of bread and choose to buy rice cakes instead, the bakery can not sue me for my change of preference, so why would you allow an oil or gas company, the right to sue me, if I stop buying their product. Yes, you are using my hard earned tax money to pay off these companies. I did not give you permission to use my public money in this way. Bail out of this treaty now and do not agree to any other treaty that would include such ridiculous terms on withdrawal. No penalties for withdrawals. Each Treaty Agreement should last 20 years or less, not indefinitely. Limit the life span of any new treaty.

Michael

Governments being sued by fossil fuel companies for putting the environment before profit? Please Get Real!!

Joao

We need a future!

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Companies that make profits drilling for oil or burning coal use a toxic fossil fuel treaty to sue governments that stop their destructive activity. It is a threat to governments trying to transition to clean energy and could cost Europeans over 7 billion euros. Toxic treaties like this should be a relic of the past.

Right now is our crucial chance to end this treaty which gives full power to fossil fuel industries, before we are locked into it for years to come. It is the EU Commissioners in charge who need to hear our voices.

To drown out the fossil fuel companies’ pressure we have gathered this morning, en masse with partners, members of our community and our monster dinosaur right outside the Commissioners office. Even though you are not physically here with us, help make sure they cannot ignore us.

Call the Commissioner’s office and tell them to say no to this toxic treaty!

Call Frans Timmermans’ office, Executive Vice President of the EU Commission, on +32 2 299 11 11
Call Kadri Simson’s office, Commissioner for Energy, on +32 2 299 11 11
Call Valdis Dombrovskis’ office, Commissioner for Trade

Here are some suggested talking points:

Introduce yourself
Explain that you are calling about the Energy Charter Treaty
Explain why you care about this
Explain that there is a group of people outside the Commissioner’s office asking the Commissioner to end the Energy Charter Treaty and you hope the Commissioner will listen to them and go meet them
Thank them for their time and say goodbye

Below you will find information about calling to representative of your choice

Call Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President of the European Commission Dial 2390482309 and press 1.

Call Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy Dial 2390482309 and press 2.

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Thank you for joining the revolt against the fossil fuel industry suing our governments for protecting our planet.

But to get the whole of Europe out of this dangerous treaty, we will need you every step of the way.

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Thank you for joining the revolt against the inordinate power of the fossil fuel industries. The more we sign this appeal, the stronger we will be against them!

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