As you gather in Rio for the G20 Leaders' Summit, you do so at a critical moment for our planet, humanity and the future of every young person alive today and those yet to come. This letter is addressed to you not only as heads of government but as mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers - people who care deeply about the well-being of your children and grandchildren.

Listen to this article 7 min Listen to this article 7 min Our world is at a breaking point. We are dangerously close to exceeding the 1.5°C limit of warming that scientists have warned is the threshold to prevent the most catastrophic and irreversible consequences of climate change. And despite knowing this, we continue to expand the very thing driving this crisis: fossil fuels. The oil, coal, and gas that power our economies are responsible for about 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, year after year, we continue business as usual, pushing our planet to the brink.

The science is crystal clear, and so is the solution: we must phase out fossil fuels fast and fairly. Failure to embark in the necessary energy transition comes at a high cost of lives and to the future well-being of people and the economy that sustains us.

But instead of making the necessary changes, the G20 nations - your nations - poured more than $1.4-trillion in subsidies into fossil fuel companies in 2022 alone. The world's taxpayers spend nearly roughly $13-million every minute propping up the very industry that threatens their future. This money could be used to build a future...