Protecting territories that sustain life while accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels.
We, the undersigned, call on governments to turn the global commitments to transition away from fossil fuels and halt and reverse deforestation into concrete action at COP31.
Amid deep geopolitical fragmentation and weakening international cooperation, continued dependence on fossil fuels is further exacerbating existing vulnerabilities. Beyond its climate impacts, this dependence exposes countries and communities to volatile energy markets, supply disruptions, and economic instability, while undermining energy security and national sovereignty.
Continued coal, oil, and gas extraction also causes unnecessary and avoidable harm to people and nature, including driving deforestation and biodiversity loss. A healthy nature underpins our economies: according to IPBES, more than half of global GDP is generated by sectors moderately or highly dependent on nature. Yet fossil fuel expansion continues to threaten ecosystems essential for biodiversity, climate stability, and the cultures and livelihoods of the peoples who protect them. Halting this expansion in critical territories such as forests or coral reefs is therefore an immediate, concrete step toward a just, orderly, and equitable transition, alongside plans to phase out existing fossil fuel production within key ecosystems.
Nearly three years after the commitments to transition away from fossil fuels and halt and reverse deforestation were adopted under the first Global Stocktake (GST1) at COP28, international negotiations have still not delivered a clear implementation pathway. COP31 must break this impasse and renew political momentum for these agendas.
Building on the momentum generated by the Brazilian COP30 Presidency’s roadmaps and the Santa Marta–Tuvalu process, governments must recognize the opportunity to establish Fossil Free Zones (FFZs) as an immediate and actionable starting point for translating both global commitments into concrete territorial decisions. By halting new fossil fuel exploration and expansion and prioritizing the responsible closure of existing projects in territories of high ecological, climatic, and cultural importance, countries can advance interconnected development agendas while protecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights and allowing territorial self-determination.
FFZs can build on existing policy and governance instruments, including protected areas, land-use planning, environmental regulations, licensing and concession rules, and the recognition of Indigenous territories. Emerging experiences across countries and territories, such as Colombia's decision to ban new oil and gas projects in the Amazon, the Pacific Islands’ commitment to a Fossil Free Pacific, or the EU’s continued refusal to import new oil and gas from the Arctic, show that FFZs are already being implemented to advance the transition away from fossil fuels.
FFZs are a concrete first step towards comprehensive fossil fuel phase-out plans and a powerful tool to turn global commitments into immediate territorial action, paving the way for a just, orderly and equitable transition away from fossil fuels that protects nature and people.
At COP31, we call on governments to:
- Implement Fossil Free Zones in critical ecosystems to translate the first Global Stocktake’s outcomes into national roadmaps. Countries should identify and establish Fossil Free Zones in territories of high ecological, climatic and cultural importance as a tangible tool to advance a just and equitable transition away from fossil fuels and halt and reverse deforestation as agreed at COP28. Prioritising the protection of life zones in TAFF roadmaps can help advance national mitigation targets, NDC implementation, and just territorial transitions, while demonstrating measurable progress toward GST1 commitments as the second Global Stocktake (GST2) begins.
Support Fossil Free Zones in international processes to maintain political momentum and accelerate the implementation of the transition away from fossil fuels. Governments should build on the COP30 Brazilian Presidency’s roadmaps and the Santa Marta–Tuvalu process to ensure that COP31 marks a step forward in implementing the UAE Consensus. Fossil Free Zones should be recognized in these processes as an immediate and actionable measure within a broader policy package to advance an orderly transition.
Implement FFZs to advance the just transition through concrete territorial action. Governments should recognize Fossil Free Zones as a concrete tool for implementing a just transition at the territorial level, putting into practice the key elements recognized in paragraph 12 of Decision 2/CMA.7, including Indigenous Peoples’ rights, ecosystem integrity and sustainable economic opportunities. These territorial approaches should also be considered in the development of the Just Transition Mechanism at COP31.
COP31 must send a clear signal: transitioning away from fossil fuels and halting and reversing deforestation requires not only roadmaps into the future, but concrete territorial decisions today.