OPEN LETTER TO LEADERS OF G20: REAL PEACE AND CLIMATE ACTION MEANS KEEPING RUSSIAN FOSSIL FUELS IN THE GROUND | DiXi Group
DiXi Group Logo
www.upscalerolex.to
08.09.2023

OPEN LETTER TO LEADERS OF G20: REAL PEACE AND CLIMATE ACTION MEANS KEEPING RUSSIAN FOSSIL FUELS IN THE GROUND

Honourable leaders of G20 states,

Expressing our respect, we would like to reiterate the message on the need to keep Russian fossil fuels in the ground and stop the expansion of Russian oil and gas infrastructure, particularly LNG infrastructure. On the latest, Ukrainian Civil Society Organizations have already addressed the European Commission in the hope of receiving a response in the form of respective political decisions.

Today we find it inconceivable that a representative of the Russian criminal regime is allowed to participate in the G20 Summit, while Russia’s dictator Vladimir Putin has been indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in UkraineThe invasion of Ukraine by Russian Federation forces under the direction of Vladimir Putin is a clear war against Ukrainian sovereignty and independence as well as a grave violation of human rights, international law, and global peace. This invasion confronts the world with the spectre of a grimmer future, where both natural and social systems could collapse and violence become the dominant force. 

It is equally clear that Putin’s war machine has been funded, fed, and fuelled by the fossil fuel industry that is driving both the invasion of Ukraine and the climate crisis that threatens humanity’s future. There should be no place for Vladimir Putin or representatives of his regime at the G20 Summit or any other dignified international gatherings.

Since launching its full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Russia has amassed more than 440 billion US dollars in revenue from fossil-fuel exports. This colossal flow of money has made it possible for Russia to put its economy on a war footing and increase the production of weapons used in the brutal war against Ukraine, while also incentivising further expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure in Russia. Even now, after over a year and a half since the Russian Federation brutally assaulted Ukraine.

We call on all leaders of goodwill to end fossil fuel addiction once and for all. We call on G20 heads of state to take immediate action to phase out imports of fossil fuels from Russia and exit from any joint ventures in oil and gas with Russian companies. Russian officials are making every effort to engage G20 countries in joint venture infrastructure projects that could help Russia regain its former positions in the global oil and gas markets.

In July 2023 the price of Russian oil at the world market has risen above the G7 price cap, while embargoes imposed by the EU, the USA and UK are diluted by “laundromat” loopholes, as these countries continue to buy oil products produced from Russian crude oil. 

While some G20 governments, such as AustraliaCanada, the USA, the UK and the EU have responded to the gravity of Russia’s violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and committing countless war crimes, including targeting civilians with military strikes and kidnapping children, with a limited set of sanctions, the overall international response to existential threats to the world unleashed by Russia’s rampage is very weak. 

Moreover, many of the world’s leading economies continue to contribute to Russia’s war effort by propping up the Kremlin’s main revenue streams by increasing imports of Russian fossil fuels and even investing in new Russian fossil fuel infrastructure. By doing this, the G20 leaders are putting themselves far more behind necessary commitments to equitable phase-out of all fossil fuels and setting 2030 as the target year for the phase-out of all fossil fuels subsidies and installation of at least 1.5 TW per annum of renewable energy while doubling energy efficiency deployment from 2022 levels every year. 

So far, the G20 nations are hindering their own energy security, and the urgently needed decarbonisation of economies by allowing their companies to participate in oil and gas joint ventures with Russia and providing inefficient and harmful public subsidies that incentivise higher demand for fossil fuels.

Today, the G20 countries must be clearly aware of the consequences of their actions as too many are moving in concerning directions:

We implore the G20 to get on track by fair and fast investing in clean energy technologies, including developing countries and post-war Ukraine to protect the economy and the planet. G20 governments must take immediate action to end reliance on Russian fossil fuels and stop the expansion of Russian oil and gas infrastructure, including LNG. G20 cannot afford to continue supporting Putin’s war machine and contributing to unravelling climate catastrophe. The democracy and human lives are at stake. 

Yet there is some hope. The EU is pioneering the way to get rid of dependency on Russian fossil fuels. Falling demand drives collapse in demand for fossil fuels in the EU in 2023 by 17% to lowest on record in 2023 and 17 EU countries generated a record share of renewables from January to June. In the first six months of the calendar year 2023, Japan also reduced LNG imports from Russia by 16.5% compared to the same period a year earlier. 

The other G20 countries must follow suit. 

G20 governments must end this dreadful addiction to oil and gas for two essential reasons: to start solving the climate crisis and to dry up the funds for the brutal Russian war against the Ukrainian people, which also presents an onslaught on international rule of law and democracy.

Having this in mind, in light of the coming G20 Summit, we call to uphold commitments to climate action and peace by addressing these outstanding issues:

– Aligning national energy and climate policies with the demands of climate science and international justice by implementing effective policies to eliminate dependencies on Russian fossil fuels, including LNG.

– Imposing an immediate and effective ban on new investments in Russian fossil fuel infrastructure projects.

– Exiting from all existing fossil fuel projects and joint ventures with Russia, such as Arctic LNG-2 and Sakhalin-2.

– Strengthening and enforcing embargoes on all Russian fossil fuels and imposing permanent international sanctions against the Russian fossil fuel industry. World peace and climate action need consistent efforts to keep Russian fossil fuels in the ground and particularly prevent its expansion along the LNG vector.

Signatories:

  1. Razom We Stand, Ukraine
  2. NGO Khmelnytskyi Energy Cluster, Ukraine
  3. NGO Ecoclub, Ukraine
  4. NGO Green Liberty, Ukraine
  5. NGO SaveDnipro, Ukraine
  6. NGO Zero Waste Society, Ukraine
  7. ICO “Environment – People – Law”, Ukraine
  8. NGO Center for environmental initiatives “Ecoaction”, Ukraine
  9. DiXi Group, Ukraine
  10. NGO “Center for international cooperation and project implementation”, Ukraine
  11. NGO “Wetland park Osokorky”, Ukraine
  12. NGO “Danube-Carpathian Programme”, Ukraine
  13. NGO “Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group”, Ukraine
  14. NGO “Office for the Environment”, Ukraine
  15. NGO “Zero Waste Society”, Ukraine
  16. NGO “Black Sea Women’s Club”, Ukraine
  17. NGO “Plato”, Ukraine
  18. NGO “Ecoltava”
  19. NGO “Unique Planet”
  20. NGO “Information Center “Green Dossier”, Ukraine
  21. NGO EHA “Green World” (Ukraine)
  22. NGO “Social Initiative “City of the Sun”, Ukraine
  23. The coalition of NGOs and municipalities “Energy Transition”, Ukraine
  24. Earth Action, Inc. United States
  25. Physicians for Social Responsibility Arizona, USA
  26. ARRCC (Australian Religious Response to Climate Change)
  27. NGO Workshop for All Beings, Poland
  28. NGO Foundation “Rozwój TAK – Odkrywki NIE”, Poland
  29. Ekowyborca, Poland
  30. Jindra Čekanová, lesy Čekanová s.r.o., Czech Republic
  31. EKOenergy ecolabel, Finland
  32. Jamaa Resource Initiatives, Kenya
  33. Centre for Citizens Conserving Environment & Management (CECIC), Uganda
  34. Bond Beter Leefmilieu, Belgium
  35. Vredesactie, Belgium
  36. WeSmellGas, Belgium
  37. NGO GreenFaith, US/Kenya
  38. NGO Centre for Climate Safety, Australia
  39. NGO, Stand.earth, United States and Canada
  40. NGO, Quaker Action – Mid Atlantic Region
  41. Batani Foundation, USA
  42. Better Tomorrow Solar, USA
  43. SEE (Social Eco Education), USA
  44. Round table on renewable energies (Runder Tisch Erneuerbare Energien), Germany
  45. Community Matters Toronto, Canada
  46. Intelligence Flows, Canada
  47. Clean Air Action Group, Hungary
  48. Polish Foundation for Energy Efficiency (FEWE), Poland
  49. Urgewald, Germany
  50. Estonian Green Movement, Estonia
  51. Destination Zero, Canada
  52. Andy Gheorghiu Consulting, Germany
  53. 198 methods, USA
  54. 350 Bay Area Action, USA
  55. Leave it in the Ground Initiative (LINGO), Germany

To sign on and add your voice, please fill out this form until Friday, September 8.

News

Our platforms

https://ksep.energy/en/

Independent energy educational center

http://eiti.org.ua/

National website of Extractive Industries Transparensy Initiative in Ukraine 

http://ua-energy.org/

Information and analitical website “Ukrainian Energy UA-Energy.org” is unique   platform to inform

Our platforms

https://ksep.energy/en/

Independent energy educational center

http://eiti.org.ua/

National website of Extractive Industries Transparensy Initiative in Ukraine 

http://ua-energy.org/

Information and analitical website “Ukrainian Energy UA-Energy.org” is unique   platform to inform