To avert climate breakdown, the vast majority of the fossil fuel industry’s gas, oil, and coal reserves need to stay in the ground. Fossil fuel lobbyists have relentless- ly tried for decades to deny science, and delay, weak- en, and sabotage climate action - despite knowing their business heats the planet and destroys communities. Their business model is killing our future. To tackle the climate emergency, and ensure that climate policy is conducted entirely in the public interest, we must cut fossil fuel interests out of our politics, similar to existing restrictions on the tobacco industry.
We need a fossil free politics before it’s too late. This means no more meetings, conflicts of interest, partnerships, or collaborations with fossil fuel lobby- ists in our democratic institutions (including the UN and EU institutions). In concrete terms, this would mean four definitive and courageous measures. Here we explain the second one:
2) Address vested interests: no conflict of interest, no revolving door between public office and the fossil fuel industry; no industry side jobs or placements; no hiring of industry consultants.
This would include but not be limited to:
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Closing the revolving door by introducing restrictions on moving from the public sector to the fossil fuel industry or vice-versa (5 years for regular officials/staff; 10 years for Commissioners or ministers. No placements, internships or sabbaticals from fossil fuel company staff in governments or the other way around)
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Members of parliaments can’t have any side jobs with fossil fuel companies, either directly or indirectly (e.g. working for law firms or consultancies that provide services to fossil fuel companies).
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Public authorities do not hire consultancies or other contrac- tors for services related to climate and energy policy-making if these consultancies also work for fossil fuel companies.