Climate change is the greatest challenge humanity has encountered, not just environmentally but also economically, morally and socially. In order to avoid the catastrophic consequences of climate change, global warming must not exceed 2°C which means 80% of known fossil fuel reserves must not be used. Recent research, instigated by the Carbon Tracker foundation, asserts that there are five times more fossil-fuel reserves than can be burnt if internationally agreed carbon emissions targets are to be met. Fossil fuel equities also pose significant financial risks. As governments control carbon emissions to meet these targets a large proportion of fossil fuel reserves which companies expect to extract will become stranded assets: a “carbon bubble”. Funds which are exposed to fossil fuel equities when this bubble bursts can expect to suffer considerable losses. The Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney has recently expressed concerns over climate risk, stating that the “vast majority of reserves are unburnable” if global temperature rises are to be limited to below 2C (http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/oct/13/mark-carney-fossil-fuel-reserves-burned-carbon-bubble) Institutions around the world including local government, universities and churches are pulling out of fossil fuels investments and moving towards a cleaner energy future. By divesting from fossil fuels, the Cardiff & Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund will join public institutions such as the British Medical Association, Glasgow University and Oxford City Council, amongst many others, in leading by example to help create a sustainable future for it's citizens. In support of this movement we ask you to sign and share our petition. Thank you for your support

Climate change is the greatest challenge humanity has encountered, not just environmentally but also economically, morally and socially. In order to avoid the catastrophic consequences of climate change, global warming must not exceed 2°C which means 80% of known fossil fuel reserves must not be used. Recent research, instigated by the Carbon Tracker foundation, asserts that there are five times more fossil-fuel reserves than can be burnt if internationally agreed carbon emissions targets are to be met. Fossil fuel equities also pose significant financial risks. As governments control carbon emissions to meet these targets a large proportion of fossil fuel reserves which companies expect to extract will become stranded assets: a “carbon bubble”. Funds which are exposed to fossil fuel equities when this bubble bursts can expect to suffer considerable losses. The Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney has recently expressed concerns over climate risk, stating that the “vast majority of reserves are unburnable” if global temperature rises are to be limited to below 2C (http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/oct/13/mark-carney-fossil-fuel-reserves-burned-carbon-bubble) Institutions around the world including local government, universities and churches are pulling out of fossil fuels investments and moving towards a cleaner energy future. By divesting from fossil fuels, the City and County of Swansea Pension Fund will join public institutions such as the British Medical Association, Glasgow University and Oxford City Council, amongst many others, in leading by example to help create a sustainable future for it's citizens. In support of this movement we ask you to sign and share our petition. Thank you for your support

Climate change is the greatest challenge humanity has encountered, not just environmentally but also economically, morally and socially. In order to avoid the catastrophic consequences of climate change, global warming must not exceed 2°C which means 80% of known fossil fuel reserves must not be used. Recent research, instigated by the Carbon Tracker foundation, asserts that there are five times more fossil-fuel reserves than can be burnt if internationally agreed carbon emissions targets are to be met. Fossil fuel equities also pose significant financial risks. As governments control carbon emissions to meet these targets a large proportion of fossil fuel reserves which companies expect to extract will become stranded assets: a “carbon bubble”. Funds which are exposed to fossil fuel equities when this bubble bursts can expect to suffer considerable losses. The Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney has recently expressed concerns over climate risk, stating that the “vast majority of reserves are unburnable” if global temperature rises are to be limited to below 2C (http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/oct/13/mark-carney-fossil-fuel-reserves-burned-carbon-bubble) Institutions around the world including local government, universities and churches are pulling out of fossil fuels investments and moving towards a cleaner energy future. By divesting from fossil fuels, the Rhondda Cynon Taf Pension Fund will join public institutions such as the British Medical Association, Glasgow University and Oxford City Council, amongst many others, in leading by example to help create a sustainable future for it's citizens. In support of this movement we ask you to sign and share our petition. Thank you for your support

If it is wrong to wreck the climate, then it is wrong to profit from that wreckage. Too many UK universities support the fossil fuel industry directly through their research, their endowments and investments, and their partnerships with some of the biggest fossil fuel companies in the world, such as BP and Shell. In July 2015 Warwick committed to divest from fossil fuels (move their investments away from stocks in fossil fuel companies); the first visible sign that they agree that halting catastrophic climate change requires withdrawing support from the industry that drives it. [4] We now call on the university to demonstrate more significantly their commitment to addressing the climate crisis, and confront the rapacious industry that is intending on digging up and burning every last atom of carbon in the ground. We have chosen BP as a prime target for the University to sever their ties with, given the close connection the University has with the company. In order to have a decent chance of avoiding 2 degrees warming, the internationally recognised upper-limit for disastrous climate change, climate scientists have found that at least 4/5ths of coal, oil and gas must stay in the ground. BP is showing little sign that it intends to leave its oil reserves in the ground. [5] Climate change has been named the “biggest global health threat of the 21st century” by Lancet, one of the most prestigious medical journals in the world. [6] At a time when we need an unprecedented shift away from fossil fuel energy, BP’s chief executive received bonuses linked to the expansion of new fossil fuel projects, including the dirtiest fossil fuel of all: tar sands oil. [7] The company recently got the dubious honour of being named top of the table of European companies blocking the transition to the renewable economy. [8] Their business model is reckless, and it’s not just their contribution to climate change: BP is responsible for the largest marine oil spill in history, the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. [9] The company is also being sued in a British court for alleged complicity in the kidnap and torture of a union activist in Columbia. [10] Going Fossil Free means more than just switching the University’s investment portfolio. It means taking concrete action to target and delegitimise the companies that are destroying our planet. References: [1] https://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/holdings/ [2] http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jan/07/much-worlds-fossil-fuel-reserve-must-stay-buried-prevent-climate-change-study-says [3] http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/press/press-releases/bp-announces-lord-browne-succession-plan.html [4] http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jul/08/university-of-warwick-divests-from-fossil-fuels [5] http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/global-warmings-terrifying-new-math-20120719 [6] http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0905/09051501 [7] http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/may/25/oil-company-bosses-bonuses-1tr-spending-fossil-fuels [8] http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/sep/21/bp-tops-the-list-of-firms-obstructing-climate-action-in-europe [9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill [10] http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/may/22/colombian-takes-bp-to-court-in-uk-alleged-complicity-kidnap-and-torture

Our local government has a responsibility to divest from an industry that’s destroying our future, and reinvest in solutions to climate change. We can't count on the federal government, even as extreme weather events overwhelm local budgets. We have the solutions, but we won’t see any political progress on the issue until we can weaken the power of the fossil fuel industry. The bottom line is this: divestment is the only moral choice for governments that care about their citizens. Solving the climate crisis is the only practical choice for governments that care about their solvency. It's time to divest from fossil fuels now!

More CO2 in the atmosphere means more extreme weather events that could leave millions of people displaced from their homes. Our government committed to a legally binding climate deal to help prevent this. It's time to break free from fossil fuels and invest in clean energy, for everyone's future. 1. Hertfordshire County Council Pension Fund has around £140,000,000 invested in fossil fuel industries, including BG Group PLC, Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Rio Tinto PLC. 2. The pension fund affects over 180 employers in Hertfordshire including Hertfordshire County Council (including schools), North Herts District Council, Dacorum Borough Council, East Hertfordshire District Council, Hertsmere Borough Council. Broxbourne Borough Council, St Albans District Council, Stevenage Borough Council, Three Rivers District Council, Watford Borough Council and a range of community and voluntary groups. See here for list http://divestherts.org/ 3. 97% of climate scientists agree that humans are the primary cause of recent climate change, largely due to the release of greenhouse gases from the combustion of oil, coal and gas for heat and power. Global warming is happening now - it is not a thing of the future; thanks to our appetite for fossil fuels we’ve already experienced a global temperature rise of about 1°C since the Industrial Revolution.[1] The effects of this rise in temperature are already being felt, causing more frequent and intense extreme weather events, including more tropical storms in some areas, but drought in others. Climatic changes and oceans becoming more acidic due to absorbing excess carbon dioxide present a real threat to whole ecosystems. It’s not just bad for the environment, it’s putting people's lives at risk too due to food and water insecurity and is creating climate change refugees.[2] 4. In order to stop the global climate warming by another 2 °C, 80% of all known fossil fuels must stay in the ground.[3] However, despite all the evidence showing that we need to transition to cleaner forms of energy, fossil fuel companies are continuing to extract dirty fossil fuels, and making huge profits in the process.[4] 5. Investments in fossil fuels are also risky. Recent fluctuations in oil prices means that divesting from fossil fuels would minimise the council's exposure to the financial risk of the 'carbon bubble', whereby companies risk being left with stranded assets (worthless fuel stocks that regulation will prevent from being burned). People and institutions that own shares in the companies will see the value of their investments decrease. (5) 6. By removing investments in these companies Hertfordshire County Council will be showing its commitment to creating a healthy, sustainable future for both the people of Hertfordshire and the planet as a whole. 7. Institutions across the world including churches and universities, as well as local authorities in the UK such as Bristol City Council and Oxford City Council have already committed to divest from fossil fuels. [6] Let's see Hertfordshire join them in making this small but impactful commitment. [1] http://350.org/about/science/ [2] http://climatemigration.org.uk/about-us/ [3] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-30709211 [4] http://priceofoil.org/tag/fossil-fuel-industry-profits/ [5] http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/28f00388-0df3-11e5-9a65-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3mHL64WyD [6]http://gofossilfree.org/commitments/

In order to avoid the catastrophic consequences of climate change, global warming must not exceed 2°C which means 80% of known fossil fuel reserves must not be used [2]. Evidence indicates that fossil fuel companies intend to burn enough reserves to push global warming far above 2°C, and they even insist on searching for further reserves, often in the world’s most ecologically sensitive areas [3]. The Lambeth Pension Fund has tens of millions of pounds invested in oil and gas [4]. These investments carry a high degree of risk on financial and social grounds. It makes financial sense to divest for as the cost of extraction increases and international treaties restrict the use of fossil fuels these investments will continue to become riskier over time. In support of this movement we ask you to sign our petition, contributing to a better future for citizens of Lambeth and beyond as we move away from reliance on the fossil fuel industry. Who are we? Divest Lambeth is a campaign launched by Lambeth residents to get Lambeth Council to cut its ties with the fossil fuel industry by selling off stocks and shares in coal, oil and gas companies made through the Lambeth Council Pension Fund. We're a local campaign with connections to a growing global movement that has seen local governments, pension funds and public institutions worth over $50 billion (£30 billion) around the world pledge to divest from fossil fuels. References [1] http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-case-for-fossil-fuel-divestment-20130222?page=2 [2] http://www.carbontracker.org/report/wasted-capital-and-stranded-assets/ [3] http://www.shell.com/global/future-energy/arctic/exploration-production.html [4] http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/sites/default/files/ec-Lambeth-Pension-Fund-Annual-Report-and-Appendix-2013-2014.pdf

Tower Hamlets Council currently has an estimated £91,764,000 invested in fossil fuel companies. This represents 8.76% of their fund. Ethically, environmentally and economically, there is no justification for such holdings. These investments directly undermine Tower Hamlets' own commitment to 60% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020 [2] as they are directly fueling ever riskier, costlier forms of extraction, which no longer represent the relatively bankable return they have been historically as the fossil fuel energy market grows ever more volatile. Climate change is the greatest crisis humanity has ever faced. The 20 hottest years on record have all occurred since 1981 and 2014 was the hottest ever [3] with 2015 on course to take that unenviable title [4]. Higher average temperatures are directly linked to extreme weather events such as intensified heatwaves; longer more arid droughts; wilder forest fires; stronger, more frequent storms and the resultant flooding; and glacier melt has increased drastically, which not only means rising sea-levels but more of the suns rays being absorbed rather than reflected back, causing a further increase in temperatures. Climate change does not just manifest itself in these ever worsening weather patterns. A recent study [5] attributed the record 2007 - 2010 drought in Syria as a reason for farmers abandoning their land for the city, where their presence has been a major factor in the social unrest that led to the war that has ravaged the country ever since [6]. We now see this being played out in the form of the humanitarian and political crises with which Europe is now struggling to cope. Such events are only going to increase as our shared world becomes hotter and drier. National borders are meaningless in the face of hostile weather. Moreover, worsening levels of air pollution are now regarded as a major world killer [7]. In Tower Hamlets an estimated 138 people a year die as a result of air pollution [8]. At the core of all these problems is the burning of fossil fuels. Scientists have unanimously concluded that these changes are a consequence of human activity, arising from the burning of fossil fuels [9]. The fossil fuel industry have taken a threefold approach to this. Firstly, they have spent significant amounts of money to create a body of disruptive disinformation campaigns that undermine climate science in the minds of the general public [10]. Secondly, they have created a lobbying juggernaut to flatten any political efforts to limit global warming [11]. Thirdly, they have expanded their business practice to focus on ever riskier, costlier and ultimately more disastrous extraction methods such as fracking and deep-water drilling; the latter having led to the largest marine oil spill in history [12]. If it is wrong to continue to wreck the Earth’s climate, then it follows that it is wrong to profit from that wreckage. There are also increasing indications that the profitability of the fossil fuel industry will decrease significantly in coming years. If action is taken to limit global warming and a large degree of carbon reserves are left in the ground, shares in fossil fuel companies will drop significantly in value [13]. As such, pension funds currently investing in fossil fuels risk exposure to this 'carbon bubble', while there is already evidence that fossil fuel-free portfolios are capable of out-performing those including fossil fuel investments [14]. For in depth analyses of these and related risks, see: http://gofossilfree.org/frequently-asked-questions/ http://www.carbontracker.org/ http://www.theguardian.com/environment/fossil-fuel-divestment 'Do The Math' documentary: https://youtu.be/KuCGVwJIRd0 References [1] http://fossilfreeindexes.com/research/the-carbon-underground/ [2] http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgnl/environment_and_planning/sustainability/carbon_reduction.aspx [3] http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/summary-info/global/201412 [4] http://www.weather.com/news/climate/news/earth-warmest-january-may-2015 [5] http://www.pnas.org/content/112/11/3241 [6] http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/03/150302-syria-war-climate-change-drought/ [7] http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2014/air-pollution/en/ [8] http://www.itv.com/news/london/2015-07-15/londons-toxic-air-how-is-your-london-borough-affected/ [9] http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr_spm.pdf [10] http://www.fossilfreemit.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/FossilFreeMIT-Lobbying-Disinformation.pdf [11] http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/mar/25/fossil-fuel-firms-are-still-bankrolling-climate-denial-lobby-groups [12] http://www.britannica.com/event/Deepwater-Horizon-oil-spill-of-2010 [13] http://www.carbontracker.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Unburnable-Carbon-Full-rev2-1.pdf [14] https://www.msci.com/resources/factsheets/index_fact_sheet/msci-acwi-ex-fossil-fuels-index-gbp-gross.pdf

The IPCC and other scholars have estimated that to have at least a 50% chance to stay below a temperature increase of 2°C within the 21st century, we have to limit the cumulative greenhouse gas emissions between 2011 and 2050 to approximately 1.100 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO2e)[1]. In contrast, research also discovered that global fossil fuel reserves contain 2900 GtCO2e in total, which means that at least 33% of global oil, 50% of global natural gas and over 80% of global coal reserves must remain unused in order to probably meet the 2°C target.[2] Nevertheless, oil, gas and coal mining companies continue to invest hundreds of billions of dollars per year into the exploration and production of new reserves (USD 674bn in 2012)[3], although an extensive body of research from the University of Oxford, the Carbon Tracker Initiative in collaboration with the London School of Economics and Political Science, the Chatham House, HSBC, The Economist Intelligence Unit, Kepler Chevreux, the Bank of England, and from many more renowned organisations has underlined the high and growing carbon risk embedded in fossil fuel assets[4]. These assets will lose their value before the end of their economic life (known as stranded assets) if political leaders implement stricter climate policies necessary to limit global warming to 2°C. In addition to the continuation of business as usual, fossil fuel companies engage in lobbying and disinformation campaigns to prevent climate change legislation[5].These points illustrate that the fossil fuel companies' business model and practices are fundamentally inconsistent with climate change mitigation and undermine the globally supported 2°C target. The investment in and support of fossil fuel companies to continue business as usual is neither in line with HEC's mission and values[6] nor does it contribute to climate change mitigation. If HEC Paris wants to educate and train global leaders of tomorrow to contribute to society as a whole, then HEC has to support a global legally binding climate agreement to be formulated and signed in Paris. Investments in fossil fuel companies which hold and are ready to produce a carbon-intensive asset base while pushing global temperature increase beyond 2°C are first and foremost a threat to the future of humanity and, in addition, pose a significant and urgent economic risk. References: [1] See McGlade, Ekins (2015). The geographical distribution of fossil fuels unused when limiting global warming to 2°C. Nature. Vol. 517. January 2015. [2] See McGlade, Ekins (2015). The geographical distribution of fossil fuels unused when limiting global warming to 2°C. Nature. Vol. 517. January 2015; see also Mitchell et al. (2015). Oil and Gas Mismatches: Finance, Investment and Climate Policy. Research Paper of the Chatham House: The Royal Institute of International Affairs. [3] See Carbon Tracker Initiative and Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London School of Economics and Political Science (2013). Unburnable Carbon 2013: Wasted capital and stranded assets. [4] See Asnar et al. (2013). Stranded assets and the fossil fuel divestment campaign: what does divestment mean for the valuation of fossil fuel assets? Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford; and See Carbon Tracker Initiative and the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London School of Economics and Political Science (2013). Unburnable Carbon 2013: Wasted capital and stranded assets; and see Mitchell et al. (2015).Oil and Gas Mismatches: Finance, Investment and Climate Policy. Research Paper of the Chatham House: The Royal Institute of International Affairs; and HSBC stated that "we believe stranding risks for assets are relatively high this year and growing." Paun et al. (2015). Stranded assets: what next? How investors can manage increasing fossil fuel risk. HSBC Global Research; and see The Economist Intelligence Unit (2015). The cost of inaction: recognising the value at risk from climate change; and Kepler Chevreux states that "USD 28trn of fossil-fuel revenues [are] at risk in a 450-ppm world"; Kepler Chevreux (2015). Stranded assets, fossilised revenues. ESG Sustainability Research; and see Carrington (2015). Bank of England warns of huge financial risk from fossil fuel investments. The Guardian Online. [5] For an overview see for instance Fossil Free MIT (2014). The Fossil Fuel Industry’s Role in Hindering Climate Change Action: Lobbying and Disinformation Against Science and Scientists. [6] See HEC Paris (2015). About HEC Paris: Mission and Values. HEC Paris website.

Climate change is the most pressing problem facing humanity. We want to protect this planet so it remains for our children and grandchildren. We can start by asking our local council to take its money out of fossil fuels - currently £59.5 million. Local government has a duty to act for the public good. Fossil fuels are in direct conflict with this: investing in them threatens the planet and poses a risk to investors. Financial research has called into question the valuations of fossil fuel companies as they rely on reserves which must remain unburned if we are to avoid catastrophic climate change. Islington Council should take a prudent economic decision and a moral stand by moving our money away from risky fossil fuel investments. Divestment from fossil fuels makes a powerful statement that the fossil fuel industry is morally and financially unviable, and that the people of Islington want a sustainable future.

Miksi tämä on tärkeää? Yliopistoilla on moraalinen vastuu yhteiskunnan korkeimman tiedon lähteinä hyödyntää omassa toiminnassaan parasta olemassa olevaa tietoa. Tiedeyhteisön yhteisymmärrys on kiistaton. Emme voi polttaa edes puolta maailmanlaajuisista fossiilisten polttoaineiden tunnetuista varannoista aiheuttamatta tuhoisaa ilmaston lämpenemistä. [5][6][7][8] Ilmastotieteilijät ovat yhtä mieltä siitä, että fossiilisten polttoaineiden käyttö on suurin yksittäinen syy ihmisen toiminnan aiheuttamaan ilmastonmuutokseen, josta seuraa äärimmäisen vakavia ekologisia ja sosiaalisia katastrofeja. [5] Itä-Suomen yliopiston tulee toimia esimerkkinä ja harjoittaa kestävää sijoitustoimintaa niin ympäristön kuin taloudenkin kannalta. Fossiilienergiayhtiöihin liittyvää taloudellista riskiä kutsutaan “hiilikuplaksi”. Se johtuu alihintaisten kasvihuonekaasupäästöjen aiheuttamasta markkinahäiriöstä. Hiilikupla on saanut useita sijoittajia vetämään sijoituksensa pois näistä yhtiöistä. [8][9] Sijoittamalla puhtaaseen energiaan ja vihreään talouteen, yliopisto edistää myös opiskelijoidensa työllistymistä ja tukee biotalouden vallankumousta. Yliopiston siirtyminen kestävään sijoitusstrategiaan on vahva signaali yliopiston henkilökunnalle, opiskelijoille ja sidosryhmille siitä, että yliopiston johto tunnustaa tieteellisen tutkimustyön tulokset ja pyrkii kehittämään yliopiston toimintaa vastuulliseksi. Strategiassaan Itä-Suomen yliopisto pyrkii vastaamaan ympäristön muutokseen ja luonnonvarojen riittävyyden globaaliin haasteeseen. ”Muuttuvan maailman monimutkaisten haasteiden ratkaiseminen edellyttää kykyä ajatella ja yhdistää asioita uudella tavalla”. [2] Yhteiskunta tarvitsee edelläkävijöitä, jotka rakentavat uutta kestävää toimintatapaa ja motivoivat muita osallistumaan uusien parhaiden käytäntöjen omaksumiseen. ------------------------------------------------------ Why is this important? Universities have the moral responsibility to act as the leading sources of scientific research and education in a society, and according to the best information available. The scientific consensus is clear and overwhelming; we cannot safely burn even half of the world's fossil-fuel reserves without causing destructive global warming. [5][6][7][8] Climate scientists agree that the use of fossil fuels is the main cause of anthropogenic global warming that will cause extreme ecological and social catastrophes. [5] The University of Eastern Finland should take the lead in confronting climate change by promoting sustainable and financially sound asset management practises. By investing in clean sources of energy and in green economy, the university will improve students’ prospects and support the bio-economy revolution. The economic risk that comes with the use of fossil fuels is referred to as the “Carbon bubble”. Carbon emissions can be produced very cheaply, which causes a disturbance in the market. Many investors have withdrawn their investments in companies that participate in this Carbon bubble.[9][10] By switching to a sustainable investment strategy the university would send a strong signal to its staff, students, and collaborators; that the university recognises the results of scientific research and will, accordingly, transition to a sustainable investment strategy. In its strategy the University of Eastern Finland seeks to respond to climate change and the global challenges that arise from the insufficiency of natural resources. “The challenges of a complex and changing world can only be solved by thinking in new ways, and making new connections.” [2] Society needs pioneers who will build a new, sustainable model and motivate others to participate in a transition to new, better practices. [1] (ilmoitettujen varantojen sisältämän hiilidioksidimäärän perusteella mitattuna). http://gofossilfree.org/companies/ [2] http://www.uef.fi/fi/uef/strategia [3] http://www.uef.fi/web/kestava-kehitys/kestava-kehitys [4] http://www.acadsci.fi/kannanottoja/turpeenenergiakaytto/tiivistelma.pdf [5] http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar5/wg1/WGIAR5_SPM_brochure_en.pdf [6] http://carbontracker.live.kiln.it/index.html?CMP=twt_gu [7] http://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus [8] http://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/carbon-dioxide/ [9] http://gofossilfree.org/endorsements/ [10] http://www.carbontracker.org/report/carbon-bubble/

Over 54,000 people have signed on the national campaign asking 5 museums, of which the Utah Natural History Museum (UNMH) is one, to divest from fossil fuels. http://gofossilfree.org/museums/ This moment calls for leaders that are ready to do more than observe and curate history — it calls for leaders who are ready to help make it. We believe museums can be those leaders. The California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, The Field Museum in Chicago, The Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburg, The London Museum of Science, and The Australian Academy of Sciences have already taking this important step of divestment. In addition to fossil fuel divestment growing internationally, www.BreakFree2016.org is a global project that is coordinating a global wave of escalated direct actions to stop some of the largest fossil fuel projects in the world. 2016 could be a turning point in the climate justice movement. Faculty and students at the University of Utah are ready for this moment and have been campaigning since 2012 to have the University of Utah to divest from fossil fuels: https://campaigns.gofossilfree.org/petitions/Fossil_Free_UUtah. In May 2015 the Academic Senate made the recommendation to create a policy that would support fossil fuel divestment and in March 2016 this recommendation was further supported with a timeline for September 2016: http://www.boarddocs.com/ut/uutah/asop/Board.nsf/files/A8JUX87A9B14/$file/Ad%20Hoc%20Re-Investment%20Dialogue%20Committee%20Report%20-%20March%202016.pdf This timeline will coincide with activists from around the world escalating pressure on global leaders to maintain a 2 degree limit in warming, keep 80% of the Fossil Fuels in the ground and create a just transition to renewables by 2050. We are prepared to celebrate divestment at the U of U or escalate our tactics along with www.breakfree2016.org. If you haven't read this Open Letter to Museums yet, please take a look and consider how urgent it is to create economic decisions that reflect our public sustainability missions: http://thenaturalhistorymuseum.org/open-letter-to-museums-from-scientists/