New York, New York — Ahead of the historic First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma has announced its endorsement of the Fossil Fuel Treaty, a bold international proposal calling for an equitable and just phaseout of fossil fuels.

Oklahoma is the sixth largest producer of natural gas and crude oil in the United States. The Ponca Nation sits at the epicenter of fossil fuel fracking and extraction in the state, leading to decades of water, soil and air pollution. Fossil fuel production in the region has contributed to rising rates of sexual and physical violence, exacerbating the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) within the Ponca Nation.

The Ponca Tribe is a leader in progressive legislation to stop fossil fuel extraction. The Tribe banned fracking in their territory and became the first Tribe in the United States to pass a resolution recognizing the Rights of Nature and holding corporations liable for crimes against nature. The Ponca Tribe joins 37 Indigenous nations & communities and 18 countries working towards concretizing a Treaty.

“Endorsing the Fossil Fuel Treaty is a critical step in stopping the environmental degradation that decades of fracking and oil extraction have brought to our community. It is our sovereign right to steward and care for our territories for future generations. We are honored to be the first Tribe in the United States to sign the Treaty and join Indigenous nations from Asia, Africa, and the Amazon in defending our sacred Mother Earth.” Earl Howe III, Chairman of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma

“Our community is experiencing an environmental genocide at the hands of the fossil fuel industry. Cancers threaten the lives of children and families, soil and water pollution means we can’t grow our traditional foods, and climate disasters continue to wreak havoc on our communities. We know what must be done, Mother Earth is calling for us to keep the sacred oil in the ground. Supporting the Fossil Fuel Treaty is a next step in our ongoing efforts to end fossil fuel production in Ponca Territory and to protect our one Mother, the Earth.” Casey Camp-Horinek, Ponca Nation Environmental Ambassador

“We are at a historic junction— a time when the world has an opportunity to meet the intersecting climate, economic, and social crises with the urgency this moment demands by equitably phasing out fossil fuels. Indigenous communities have been on the frontlines of fossil fuel extraction, and continue to be steadfast leaders in resisting fossil fuel expansion and building a just transition. The Fossil Fuel Treaty is a critical mechanism for implementing a global phaseout of fossil fuels, and Indigenous nations are central to any framework toward this end. We celebrate the Ponca Nation’s endorsement of the Fossil Fuel Treaty, and stand in solidarity with their leadership .” Osprey Orielle Lake, Steering Committee Member of the Fossil Fuel Treaty, Executive Director of the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN)