101 Nobel laureates urge world leaders to phase out fossil fuel

In the wake of "Leaders' Summit on Climate", 101 Nobel Prize winners have sent out a joint letter to world leaders to take steps for phasing out fossil fuels in order to avert catastrophic climate change.

"The burning of fossil fuels is responsible for almost 80% of carbon dioxide emissions since the industrial revolution. Allowing the continued expansion of this industry is unconscionable," CNN cited from the letter. 

The signatories including accounted summit's attendees to take proper actions saying, "Leaders, not industry, hold the power and have the moral responsibility to take bold actions to address this crisis." 

Coordinated by the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, the letter was signed by some of the world's most distinguished scientists, peace makers and writers.

The long list of signatories includes Jody Williams, who was awarded the 1997 Peace Prize for her campaign to ban landmines; women's rights activist and 2011 Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee; Frances H. Arnold who was awarded the 2018 chemistry prize for performing the first-ever "directed evolution" of enzymes; Harald zur Hausen, the 2008 medicines and physiology laureate who discovered that human papilloma virus causes cervical cancer; the 2005 literature laureate Elfriede Jelinek, and the 2010 Economics laureate Christopher Pissarides.

Tawakkol Karman, Elfriede Jelinek and Dalai Lama are among the signatories fo the letter. 

The laureates outlined three steps for the world leaders, putting an end to any further expansion of oil, gas and coal production; phasing out existing fossil fuel production in a manner that is fair and equitable and investing heavily in the global transition to renewable energy.

"In addition to being the leading source of emissions, there are local pollution, environmental and health costs associated with extracting, refining, transporting and burning fossil fuels. These costs are often paid by Indigenous peoples and marginalized communities," the letter said.

The authors of the letter further remarked that efforts to meet the terms of the Paris Agreement and to reduce demand for fossil fuels will be undermined if supply continues to grow.

"The fossil fuel system is global and requires a global solution -- a solution the Leaders' Climate Summit must work towards," they wrote. "And the first step is to keep fossil fuels in the ground."

US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris opened the inaugural session of the two-day Summit. 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also President of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), will also address the inaugural session.