Hastings call to ditch fossil fuels to prevent ‘catastrophic climate change’

Divest East Sussex said Hastings would become the sixth local council in the UK to endorse the call for a Fossil Fuel Treaty if it votes to support a motion to this effect that has been tabled by borough councillor Sabina Arthur.

The vote, which had originally been scheduled for December, will now take place next Thursday (February 17).
The rally was held outside Muriel Matters House.

Councillors Paul Barnett and Judy Rogers took part.

Divest East Sussex said a Fossil Fuel Treaty would be an agreement to end all new fossil fuel exploration and production, phase out existing stockpiles of fossil fuels, and fast-track a transition to cleaner alternatives.

The idea has already been endorsed by more than 100 Nobel laureates, as well as 32 cities and sub-national governments, including the City of Cambridge and Lewes Town Council.

Brighton & Hove City Council agreed a similar motion at its full council meeting last week.

A spokesperson for Divest East Sussex said: “If we’re going to have any chance of avoiding catastrophic climate change then we need to rapidly phase out fossil fuels.

“Yet governments are still planning to produce vastly more fossil fuels than can ever be safely burned. An internationally agreed Fossil Fuel Treaty could help change this, enabling a just and peaceful transition to a safer and cleaner world.

“We urge all Hastings borough councillors to vote to endorse this idea on February 17.”