In the final days of COP29, youth activists from Denmark, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Germany have come together to launch the Fossil Free North Sea Youth Alliance. Their demand is clear: stop all fossil fuel expansion in the North Sea. On Thursday, November 21st, the alliance made its debut with a powerful action at COP29, directly targeting what they describe as the “hypocrisy” of North Sea countries.
The countries involved—self-proclaimed climate champions in negotiation rooms—continue to expand fossil fuel projects in the North Sea, contradicting their climate leadership claims, according to the alliance
“We have been warned repeatedly that we cannot have any more oil and gas fields if we want to maintain a liveable climate. So why on earth are we developing new, mega-polluting projects in the North Sea like Equinor’s Rosebank, which would emit more CO2 than the world’s 28 lowest-income countries combined do in just one year.
“The science is crystal clear: there’s no room for a single new fossil fuel project. We must stop all new North Sea drilling now” says Frances Fox from Stop Rosebank.
“Here at COP29 in Baku, we as youth from the North Sea countries are uniting to draw a red line. Today, we’re excited to announce the launch of the Fossil Free North Sea Youth Alliance. Together, we’re demanding an immediate halt to all fossil fuel expansion in the North Sea and to put our countries on the crucial path towards a socially just energy transition”, says Darya Sotoodeh from Fridays for Future Germany.
COP29, labeled as “the Finance COP”, as a new goal for global climate finance is at stake. Countries on the frontline of the climate crisis are calling on wealthy Global North nations to pay their historical debt for the climate crisis.
However, the coalition warns that without halting fossil fuel expansion, this debt will only grow:
“At this COP, our countries must take responsibility for their historical role in causing the climate crisis and pay up for the much-needed climate-finance. But this cannot stand alone: They also have to stop all fossil fuel projects. Otherwise, it’s like giving money to mend the holes in a sinking ship, while at the same time drilling new holes. Instead of following science and phasing out fossil fuels, our governments are prioritizing profits for fossil fuel companies over people and the planet” says Selma de Montgomery from Den Grønne Ungdomsbevægelse.
The coalition emphasizes that continuing fossil fuel expansion undermines the very finance efforts being negotiated at COP29 and puts global climate justice at risk.
“Norway has an unimaginably large responsibility for the climate catastrophes we are witnessing around the world today. Continued exploration and expansion of fossil fuel production in the North Sea is a mockery of the principles of climate justice that the Paris Agreement is built on. Oil rich countries like Norway must take the lead on transitioning away from fossil fuels, like agreed by world leaders on the last climate summit COP28” says Matilde Angeltveit from Norwegian Church Aid.
Press contacts:
- Denmark: Selma de Montgomery, +4531522142
- Norway: Matilde Angeltveit, +47 45390266
- Fridays for Future Germany (Press Coordination): Zahra Pischnamazzadeh +49 1578 223 7973
- United Kingdom: Frances Fox, Stop Rosebank, +447733057777