Our institution can and must help avert a climate crisis.

Because

Divestment is not a political issue. It’s a moral issue. It is about global warming and the impact it’s having and will have on ecosystems and people across the world. Being invested in fossil fuel companies is being invested in the continued warming of our planet and harm done to billions worldwide. Divestment will not harm the Reed Endowment Fossil Free Reed is advocating for fossil fuel divestment not only because we believe it is a moral action, but also because it is the fiscally responsible choice. As it stands, harmful externalities associated with the fossil fuel industry are absorbed by individuals and the environment. For this reason, fossil fuels are priced above their market value creating what has been termed the “Carbon Bubble.” By investing in fossil fuels, Reed College is presuming that, in the future, policy levers will not be employed to price fossil fuels accurately. Arguably, however, a ‘future’ where fossil fuels are considered inefficient investment is not so distant. After the recent climate talks in Paris, many newspapers announced “The death of the Fossil Fuel Industry” following commitments by world leaders to drastically cut carbon emissions. Combined with political action such as Obama’s Clean Power Plan, demand for fossil fuels has already decreased. At time of writing, 3.4 trillion institutional dollars have been divested from fossil fuel companies by groups ranging from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, The Lutheran World Federation to the ten campuses of the University of California. Call to action Fossil Free Reed would immediately reject any plan to divest from fossil fuels which would harm the endowment and members could not remain in good conscience were we advocating a plan for divestment which would diminish financial aid funds. We do not, however, believe this to be the case. We believe that the Reed Board of Trustees have a fiduciary duty to recognize that Reed owns one of the greatest long-term risks on the market: fossil fuel investments. Failure to recognize the inherent risk in fossil fuel investments greatly endangers the portfolio—and financial aid funds—over the long-term. We also reject the notion that the endowment impacts just Reed, and for this reason we believe that Honor Principle necessitates ethically responsible investing. Fossil Free Reed understand that change necessitates deliberate action and precision. As it stands Fossil Free Reed is asking for divestment and reinvestment over a span of ten years. We ask for the Board to freeze new fossil fuel investments and join the student body and staff in making Reed a more carbon neutral campus. In taking steps towards these actions, we ask that the Board disclose where the endowment is invested, and lastly, acknowledgement that our endowment serves more than the Reed, and Reedies care where our funds are invested. We ask for continued communication and support in this process. Sincerely, Fossil Free Reed

We wish to see accountability from our higher education institution. We are not asking for the university to take radical action; only that it abides by its own policies. The university is explicitly breaking its own ethical investment policy regarding tobacco investments and environmental damage and is in an extremely grey area regarding its investment into arms policy. Sign this petition and have a say in where YOUR tuition fees are being invested.

The impacts of climate change are being felt worldwide. It is a real and serious threat that demands response. It is not a problem for the future, it is happening now and it is time to take a stand. The first step in fighting climate change lies within the fossil fuel industry. A global movement is coming together to challenge this industry, and it’s time we join at a local level. Our university – yes, that’s right, the University of Prince Edward Island – is one of many that have large investments in the fossil fuel industry. This investment is in complete contradiction to UPEI’s vision statement, which is “to foster a culture of sustainability at UPEI that is action oriented, touches all aspects of university life and the broader community and positions UPEI as a leading educational institution in sustainability.” Fossil fuel is not sustainable, and investing in the industry is actively going against UPEI’s own claim. As students, our voices have power. We need to speak up and show UPEI that divestment in the fossil fuel industry is the way to go.

Waseda University is the biggest investor among Japanese univesities, so it would be the huge impact if they would divest from fossil fuels.

Berklee is a multi-cultural, progressive and forward-thinking college, and prides itself on being on the cutting-edge in terms of music education and production. As such, it should join the growing number of colleges and universities that are paving the way towards a more socially responsible role in the future of this planet and all it's inhabitants.

Climate change is occurring at unprecedented rates, thanks in large part to the massive amounts of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere by the fossil fuel industry. 2014 was the hottest year in recorded history. And yet, in 2009, 114 countries had already signed the Copenhagen accord, in which they agreed that the world must work together to limit global warming to a safe level of not more than 2°C above pre-industrial temperatures. The Carbon Tracker initiative has shown that we can only afford to emit 565 more gigatonnes of CO2 if we want to remain under that threshold. We would emit 2795 gigatonnes of CO2 if we burned all the reserves already discovered, though, and the industry still invests millions in finding new reserves. Every institution that divests from fossil fuels helps to erode the industry's social license to operate. We urge the University of Auckland School of Medicine Foundation to demonstrate that they do not wish to align themselves with an industry which is not only unethical but also economically insecure in the long-term. HSBC, one of the world's largest banks, has published a report indicating that major oil and gas companies could lose up to 60% of their market value if the existing international protocols on emissions reduction are enforced. Furthermore, leading global investment research firm MSCI has stated that fossil fuel divestment even “has the potential to reduce overall portfolio risk because of Energy Sector volatility”. The University of Auckland’s Medical School aims to achieve; “aims to improve the health and wellbeing of our local, national and global communities through excellence in teaching, research and service,” yet our medical school is likely receiving funds from fossil fuel activities that are in direct contravention to this noble goal. Therefore it would make sense for the foundation to openly declare their divestment from the fossil fuel industry and set an example for other foundations within the University and the wider country Once again, we, the undersigned, students of the University of Auckland Medical School ,urge the University of Auckland Medical School Foundation to look to the future by creating an ethical investment policy in which the Foundation and the University commits to divestment of all holdings, direct and indirect, from the fossil fuel industry within five years and to the exclusion of this industry from all of its future investment portfolios.

The fossil fuel industry is an unsustainable, destructive, industry which is adding to our current climate change issues and supporting the world's reliance on non-renewable resources. We need to brake our reliance on old school unreliable fossil fuels. Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT) has the opportunity to be a frontrunner in sustainability and make investments that are positive, sustainable and future focused, rather than stay invested with fossil fuel companies.

Climate change is occurring at unprecedented rates, thanks in large part to the massive amounts of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere by the fossil fuel industry. 2014 was the hottest year in recorded history. And yet, in 2009, 114 countries had already signed the Copenhagen accord, in which they agreed that the world must work together to limit global warming to a safe level of not more than 2°C above pre-industrial temperatures. The Carbon Tracker initiative has shown that we can only afford to emit 565 more gigatonnes of CO2 if we want to remain under that threshold. We would emit 2795 gigatonnes of CO2 if we burned all the reserves already discovered, though, and the industry still invests millions in finding new reserves. Every institution that divests from fossil fuels helps to erode the industry's social license to operate. We urge the University of Auckland and associated Foundations to demonstrate that they do not wish to align themselves with an industry which is not only unethical but also economically insecure in the long-term. HSBC, one of the world's largest banks, has published a report indicating that major oil and gas companies could lose up to 60% of their market value if the existing international protocols on emissions reduction are enforced. Furthermore, leading global investment research firm MSCI has stated that fossil fuel divestment even “has the potential to reduce overall portfolio risk because of Energy Sector volatility”. The University of Auckland’s Sustainability Policy already demonstrates the institutions commitment to “the efficient management of energy[...] and minimisation of waste and emissions". It is time for the University to ensure this commitment extends to the industries it is supporting through its investments. Once again, we, the undersigned, urge the University of Auckland and its associated Foundations to look to the future by creating an ethical investment policy in which the University commits to divestment of all holdings, direct and indirect, from the fossil fuel industry within five years and to the exclusion of this industry from all of its future investment portfolios.

UK students have decided to take on the fossil fuel industry by getting our universities to go Fossil Free. People & Planet is joining forces with the 350.org campaign that has been sweeping across North American campuses. We believe that our educational institutions should serve the public good and live up to their promises to tackle climate change. No UK university in their right mind would accept funding from or invest their funds in tobacco companies these days - it’s inconsistent with their research on cancer. The same holds true for fossil fuel companies causing climate change and yet most universities still do not recognise this. That’s about to change! From Canada’s dirty tar sands to Arctic drilling and hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) for shale gas - the fossil fuel industry is scraping the bottom of the barrel and causing huge environmental and human devastation in the process. Withdrawing our institutions’ financial and moral backing for this climate-wrecking industry is crucial to tackling climate change.

The University of Nottingham’s (UoN) investment policy states that investment in companies which demonstrate ‘’explicit environmental damage’’ will not take place [1]. Yet, the fossil fuel companies Royal Dutch Shell, BP, BHP Billiton, Total and Centrica make up 11.08% of UoN’s portfolio and the total market value of the University’s investment in fossil fuels is £3,952,351 as of 31 July 2014. Investing in fossil fuel companies is not achieving the university’s aim “to act in an environmentally responsible way.’’ [2] BP as an example have shut down its solar business [3] and invested only 2% of profits into alternative energy between 2005 and 2015 [4]. It has not made new targets for alternative energy investments. Shockingly, BP were responsible for the 11 deaths and 4.9 million barrels of oil leaked in the Gulf of Mexico’s ecosystem. [5] Fossil Fuel exploration is needless. There is more proven oil and gas reserves than can be safely burnt without exceeding a global average temperature rise of 2 degrees, the widely regarded dangerous threshold. Burning fossil fuels contributes directly to climate change [6], leading to water scarcity [7, UoN research] as well as increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Arctic Ice thickness has also decreased 40 percent since the 1960s, endangering arctic wildlife. By divesting in fossil fuels, the university will help prevent the numerous effects of climate change, increase its reputation as a leading ‘Green University’ and make us as students feel proud that our education doesn’t come at an environmental cost. UoN did well in the People and Planets comprehensive sustainable university league table and ranked 42nd. A move to more ethical investments would improve the universities ranking. The University of Glasgow received recognition [8] for their pledge of divestment from fossil fuels. A similar pledge will, set a positive example for the hundreds of divestment campaigns across the world cementing UoN as a leading global university. [1] https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/governance/documents/investment-policy.pdf [2] http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/about/documents/environmentalstrategy200910.pdf [3] http://www.bp.com/en/global/alternative-energy/our-businesses/solar-power.html [4] http://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/pdf/sustainability/group-reports/BP_Sustainability_Review_2013.pdf [5] www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13123036 [6] https://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr_spm.pdf [7] http://nottingham.ac.uk/globalfoodsecurity/strands/climatechangeandenvironmentalimpact/index.aspx [8] http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/oct/08/glasgow-becomes-first-university-in-europe-to-divest-from-fossil-fuels