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The RMI is the founder and official convenor of the High Ambition Coalition, a group of countries that play a pivotal role in promoting climate ambition and bringing together countries to act to keep global temperature rises below 1.5 °C, as committed to by all governments in the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement. The RMI is joining BOGA as a Core Member. All Core Members of the Alliance sign up to the BOGA Declaration and commit to end new concessions, licensing or leasing rounds for oil and gas production and exploration and to set a Parisaligned date for ending oil and gas production.
The Hon. John M. Silk, Minister for Natural Resources and Commerce, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, said: “We may not be oil and gas producers, but we want to lend our voice and experience as conveners of the High Ambition Coalition, and strong advocates alongside our Pacific Island neighbours for a fossil fuel free Pacific, to those who are taking the courageous decisions to transform out of fossil fuels. “As one of the world’s largest shipping registries, and with an economy still desperately reliant on fossil fuels, we understand the challenges of making the clean energy transformation and potentially foregoing significant revenue or increasing costs.
The inspirational work of BOGA creating collaboration to explore and overcome these practical challenges is vital if our actions are to match our high ambition.” Dan Jørgensen, Danish Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy and co-chair of BOGA, said: "The Republic of the Marshall Islands has always been a first mover, through its commitment to 1.5c and its leadership of the High Ambition Coalition. Now it is becoming a central voice in the global conversation on fossil fuel phase out.
For the Marshall Islands, climate change is an existential threat. We must support them and their Pacific neighbours in the fight for their survival. Through BOGA, we join forces to push for the managed global phase out of oil and gas production." At the UNGA, the High Ambition Coalition Leaders’ Statement calls for faster, stronger action to tackle the climate crisis, including systemic transformation driven by a global phase out of fossil fuels, urging other leaders to join them to accelerate climate action. The HAC statement can be found here.
The RMI joins countries including France, Chile, and Colombia as part of BOGA, which has now grown to over 20 countries and sub-national Governments. The RMI announcement follows the recent decision of Colombia, the third largest oil producer in Latin America and a regional first mover on the phase out of oil and gas production, to become a Friend of BOGA last month. BOGA, launched at COP26 in Glasgow, aims to deliver a climate and energy secure future by ensuring that the phase out of oil and gas production is central to international climate negotiations, including at the upcoming COP28 being held in the UAE later this year, and by supporting governments to take steps towards a managed and responsible phase out. For more information or interview requests, please contact: Nick Colwill nick.colwill@digacommunications.com for BOGA Tony Ripley tony.ripley@independentdiplomat.org for RMI Rasmus Baastrup Nielsen rasnil@um.dk for Denmark https://beyondoilandgasalliance.org/ The Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA), 20 September 2023
