• Fossil Free Griffith University
    First we would like to acknowledge and congratulate Griffith’s University on it’s current sustainability commitments and achievements. It is recognised that environmental and social sustainability is integrated in Griffith’s governance, architecture, administration, education and research and because of this is recognised as a world leader in sustainability. This has been reflected in Griffith’s EcoCentre and Sir Samuel Griffith centre. As well as world class research provided by but not limited to the Atmospheric Environment Research Centre, the Australian Rivers Institute, the Centre for Clean Energy and the Environment, and the Environmental Futures Centre. Furthermore we also recognise, the development of the Griffith University Sustainability Plan 2013 – 2015 and Griffith’s 2020 goal ‘To be a sustainable university’. In 1975, Griffith University established the first School of Environment in Australia, making them the first university to offer a dedicated environmental science program. Since this time, Griffith University has pioneered the environmental sciences and helped establish this and other related areas of science and sustainability both in Australia and around the world. While Griffith has stated that it is committed to responsible investments we acknowledge that 5% of its investments are held within fund manager Queensland Investment Corporation and as a result is highly likely to possess investments in fossil fuels. Despite the small amount invested, we as academic members of the Griffith University community believe as a sustainability leader Griffith must divest these investments to avoid it’s contribution to climate change and associated devastating social, environmental and economic consequences. Institutions and investors are recognising the moral and financial risks associated with continued investments in fossil fuels and we encourage Griffith University to do the same. A growing number of institutions both in Australia and overseas have committed to or are taking substantial steps toward divesting from fossil fuels. These include but are far from limited too Stanford University, the United Church in Australia and most recently in Australia the University of Sydney which has committed to halt further investments in Coal. As individuals, part of the Griffith University community we implore you to take leadership in Australia by immediately freezing new investments in fossil-fuel companies, and divest from any fossil fuel investment currently held within managed funds and direct shares. If you would like to see Griffith University go Fossil Free, reflecting it’s current sustainability commitments, please sign and share this petition.
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  • Universities Superannuation Scheme Divest from Fossil Fuels
    Climate change, caused by emissions of greenhouse gases from burning oil, gas and coal, threatens the lives and livelihoods of billions of people around the world. Extreme weather events — such as the floods, melting icecaps and wildfires we've seen in recent years — make it clear that climate change is no longer a future threat: it’s a clear and present danger. Those worst affected, and often least responsible for causing climate change, are the poor and vulnerable in both developed and developing countries. We now know that at least two-thirds of fossil fuel companies' reserves will have to remain underground if the world is to meet existing internationally agreed targets to avoid the threshold for "dangerous" climate change. Experts warn this 'carbon bubble' could lead to stranded assets worth trillions and plunge the world into another financial crisis. If it is wrong to wreck the climate, then it is wrong to profit from that wreckage. By investing if fossil fuel companies USS is continuing to support an industry who's business plan is incomparable with avoiding dangerous climate change. It's time for USS to realise how incompatible these relationships are with a safe climate future, and to take meaningful action to go Fossil Free. By divesting from fossil fuels USS can show leadership on climate change, and adopt a more ethically sound and financially prudent investment practice.
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  • Amsterdam Fossiel Vrij
    Recente berekeningen laten zien dat 80% van de bewezen reserves van de fossiele brandstof industrie (kolen, olie, gas) niet verbrand kunnen worden willen we de gemiddelde temperatuurstijging beperken tot de internationaal afgesproken 2 graden Celsius. Investeringen in deze voorraden zijn dus kwetsbaar; de dreigende koolstof bubbel. Fossiele industrie draagt direct bij aan klimaatverandering. Profiteren van fossiele brandstoffen is daarom niet alleen economisch onverstandig maar ook moreel verwerpelijk. Bovendien is het niet nodig. De hernieuwbare energie sector groeit erg snel. Hierin investeren zal innovatie en werkgelegenheid stimuleren. Met het oog op de VN klimaatonderhandelingen in december in Parijs (COP21) kan Amsterdam een voorbeeld stellen. Door te divesteren en te herinvesteren kan de Gemeente Amsterdam laten zien dat zij ook daadwerkelijk voor de belangen van haar jongste inwoners staat.
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  • STØTT OPPRETTELSEN AV GREENSTAT. DET GRØNNE STATOIL
    Det mangler ikke store ord og tanker om hva Norge skal drive med for å nå våre klimamål. Men i et samfunn som fortsatt går på oljesmurt høygir mangler det konkret handling innen nye fornybare verdikjeder. Det drives noe forskning og utvikling, men uten en stor industriell aktør med finansiell kraft til å gjennomføre de riktige prosjektene stopper de fleste initiativene opp. Dette gjør at studenter som har utdannet seg til å jobbe innen fornybar energi ikke har en reell mulighet til å jobbe med det de brenner for, men blir i stedet sluset inn i godt betalte petroleums jobber. Når også petroleumsindustrien begynner å møte motbakke og går til oppsigelser haster det mer enn noen gang med å få på plass nye næringer. De fleste ønsker å bruke arbeidslivet til noe som gir mening og som bidrar til en bedre framtid. At en del av Norges befolkning skal jobbe med petroleumsaktiviteter i mange år ses på som naturlig, men der er det ikke jobb for alle. Det haster derfor med å få på plass en satsning innen fornybar energi som kan skape arbeidsplasser for en grønn generasjon. Basert på vår energihistorie har hel, eller deleide statlige selskaper spilt en avgjørende rolle i etableringen av nye næringer. Vi tror at opprettelsen av Greenstat vil kunne bidra positivt til den grønne omleggingen vi ønsker.
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  • Fossil Free Uppsala Universitet
    Om världen ska klara de klimatmål som forskare enats om krävs det att fyra femtedelar av all kol, olja och gas stannar under jorden. Detta betyder att enorma summor pengar som fossilindustrin räknar som sina tillgångar, är pengar som inte får realiseras - en "fossilbubbla". Investeringar i fossila bränslen är både oetiskt, ohållbart och oekonomiskt. Framförallt är det att sätta ungas framtid på spel! Vi studenter på Uppsala Universitet vill visa att vi ställer oss bakom en ansvarsfull placering av de pengar som finansierar vår utbildning! UU har tagit en del steg mot att verka för hållbar utveckling. Vi vill uppmärksamma att även vart pengar investeras har stor betydelse för vilka värden skolan kommunicerar och vilka verksamheter den stödjer. Denna fråga har uppmärksammats på flera andra universitet och högskolor i Sverige, och är en del av en större internationell kampanj. Vi vill se att UU går före i denna utveckling! Studenter kan och borde påverka sin skola i en hållbar riktning! ENGLISH: If we are to reach the global climate goals agreed upon by scientists, 80 % of all coal, oil and gas need to remain unexploited. Hence, we have enormous amounts of money which are counted as assets by the fossil industry but cannot actually be realized – a “fossil bubble”. Investment in fossil fuel is unethical, unsustainable and uneconomical. Above all it is jeopardizing the future of today’s youth! As Uppsala University students, we want to show our support for responsible investment of the money that is financing our education! The university has taken some steps in working for a more sustainable development. We would like to draw attention to the fact that financial investments are also of major importance for the values that the university communicates and the activities it supports. This issue has been highlighted at a number of universities and colleges in Sweden, and is part of a larger international campaign. We would like to see UU take the lead in this development! Students can, and should, influence their university to move in a more sustainable direction!
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  • Divest SUNY
    Climate change is accelerating. We are witnessing the increasing impacts of a warming planet more and more consistently; 2013 was the fourth hottest year in recorded history. There was record-breaking heat, droughts, floods and hurricanes across the globe which impacted hundreds of thousands of people and cost countries hundreds of billions of dollars. From 2011-2013, disaster relief from extreme weather cost the U.S. $136bn. Experts agree that global warming caused by humans burning fossil fuels will continue to accelerate and intensify these tragic climate disasters. A scientific study found that April 2014 was the first month in human history where CO2 in the air rose to an average of over 400 ppm. The scientific consensus is clear and overwhelming; we cannot safely burn even half of global fossil-fuel reserves without dangerously warming the planet for several thousand years. The SUNY system is contributing to this destruction by investing in the fossil fuel industry. As the largest comprehensive university system in the U.S., this is immoral and unacceptable. The SUNY mission statement includes that each university “shares the expertise of the state university[...]through a program of public service for the purpose of enhancing the well-being of the people of the state of New York and in protecting our environmental and marine resources,” something that cannot be accomplished while continuing to hold these investments. SUNY should show leadership by investing in progressive companies that will lead us to a clean energy future.
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  • Oxford Alumni for Fossil Fuel Divestment
    Investments are a political statement. While the University remains invested in fossil fuels it aligns its financial interest with, and endorses the behaviour of, the most destructive industry on the planet. Climate change is the greatest human rights challenge of our time; if it’s wrong to wreck the climate, it’s wrong to profit from that wreckage. In the past, both in the case of South African apartheid and arms manufacturers associated with cluster munitions, the University has taken a stand on issues through its investment policy. In the case of climate change, the University must stand with hundreds of other institutions around the world that have already shown leadership on climate change and divested from fossil fuels. For the University to invest in the fossil fuel industry is inconsistent with its own policy to “ensure that its investment decisions (including those taken on its behalf) take into account social, environmental and political issues in order to maintain its ethical standards”. Oxford scholars are at the forefront of research on the impacts of climate change, and were lead authors of the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report - the global authority on climate science. The report made clear that 80% of known fossil fuel reserves must remain unburned to stay below the critical threshold of two degrees of global warming. Fossil fuel companies continue to disregard this scientific consensus. They are committed to burning 100% of their reserves, are actively exploring for more in ever more extreme environments, and are lobbying extensively to block meaningful action on climate change. Leading actors in the financial sector acknowledge that fossil fuel investments are increasingly risky, given that known reserves will become ‘unburnable’ in a carbon constrained world. This work is being championed by Oxford Smith School’s own ‘Stranded Assets’ programme. We may already be seeing the influence of the IPCC research on the oil market: a recent report by Deutsche Bank suggested that last year’s drop in oil prices was driven by growing consciousness of a carbon budget and political momentum. By divesting from fossil fuels, the University can adopt the best investment practice both ethically and financially, act for the future of its scholars and alumni, and add its weight to the political momentum that is already undermining the industry. As Oxford alumni and donors, we urge our alma mater to take action on climate change and divest from fossil fuels. Further alumni action: Various alumni, including Guardian journalist George Monbiot, have agreed to symbolically hand back their degrees if the University does not divest. If you want to join in, please let us know here: http://tinyurl.com/handbackdegree, or any questions please email eande . chair@ousu . org.
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  • Oxford Academics for Fossil Fuel Divestment
    We believe Oxford should divest for three main reasons: (I) To demonstrate support for its own scholars; (II) To show leadership in a time of unprecedented transition; (III) To honour its fiduciary duties. I. Oxford scholars are global leaders in calling for an end to our collective dependence on fossil fuels. The University of Oxford should support them. Oxford academics are among the lead contributors to the most recent Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports. These reports warn that 80% of the reserves fossil fuel companies currently oversee must remain underground to avoid dangerous climate tipping points. They also show that the tools required to limit global warming to 2°C are available and affordable but that international efforts must be significantly enhanced. Oxford academics are also at the forefront of research into the economic consequences of climate change, highlighting, for instance, the financial implications of ‘stranded’ fossil fuel assets. Former Oxford scholars, now working outside the university, have pioneered similar research into the “carbon bubble.” This analysis is now driving global debate about the systemic financial risks associated with the future collapse of overvalued fossil fuel assets, which will occur when governments regulate to stave off catastrophic climate change. Fossil fuel companies, meanwhile, are failing to heed the advice of Oxford academics, and that of so many others. Instead, they are actively exploring for new fossil fuel reserves; they are refusing to accept the concept of ‘stranded’ assets; and they are lobbying government not to regulate carbon emissions. In short, they are behaving irresponsibly and threatening our future. Oxford scholars demonstrate the environmental and economic imperative to end our dependence on fossil fuels. By divesting, the University can amplify the voice of its academics and signal to policy makers the need to act now on climate change. II. The University of Oxford has a responsibility to show leadership in tackling one of the greatest challenges we as a society currently face. Climate change is an emergency and opinion leaders are rising to the challenge, calling for immediate change. A major focus is divestment from fossil fuels. Anti-apartheid campaigner Desmond Tutu, former Irish president Mary Robinson, World Bank president Jim Yong Kim, the British Medical Journal, the UNFCCC’s executive secretary Christiana Figueres and Lord Stern all agree. In the words of Tutu, “It makes no sense to invest in companies that undermine our future.” The University of Oxford has its own reputation as a leading institution, both in the UK and globally. It predates fossil fuel companies, and it will outlast them. To help secure that future, though, Oxford can make a powerful statement by divesting its endowment from fossil fuels. This action would, moreover, accord with the University’s own commitment to ensuring “it makes investment decisions responsibly and with integrity” by “[taking] into account social, environmental and political issues in order to maintain its ethical standards.” III. Oxford University has a fiduciary duty to divest from fossil fuels. As Oxford academics and staff, we support the university Council and Oxford University Endowment Manager (OUem) in their efforts to fulfil their fiduciary duties. We nevertheless encourage them to consider how climate change risks challenge standard interpretations of what these duties entail. Fiduciary duty is an ambiguous legal concept. It is generally thought to mean the responsibility of a trustee, investment manager or other financial intermediary to ensure maximum short-term returns on investments. The Kay Report and the Law Commission review both question this “short-termism.” They instead call on fund trustees to consider “longer term factors which might impact on company performance, including questions of sustainability or environmental and social impact.” As already noted, concern over the long-term financial viability of fossil fuel investments is spreading rapidly. This thinking is, moreover, moving into the financial mainstream. The Norwegian sovereign wealth fund, the largest such fund in the world, is considering divesting from fossil fuels, HSBC has published reports warning against the future risks of fossil fuel investments, and Blackrock has responded by creating fossil free asset portfolios. Given these growing concerns over long-term environmental sustainability and financial stability, we encourage the university to fulfil its fiduciary duties by divesting from fossil fuels. In conclusion: By divesting from fossil fuels, Oxford University can support its scholars, show leadership, and adopt the best investment practice, both from an ethical and financial perspective. As Oxford academics and staff, we therefore urge our university to take action on climate change and divest from fossil fuels.
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  • La Trobe University to Divest from Fossil Fuels
    The scientific consensus is clear and overwhelming; we cannot safely burn even half of global fossil-fuel reserves without dangerously warming the planet for several thousand years. For this reason, Australia needs to transition away from non-renewable energy as soon as possible, but unfortunately this is not happening fast enough. This is why we need large, reputable institutions like La Trobe University to divest from all fossil fuel companies to send a clear message to every Australian that we cannot continue ‘business as usual’. So, for the good of our students and our nation, and to preserve the quality of life for this and future generations worldwide, we call upon La Trobe University to divest from enterprises that extract, transport, process or distribute fossil fuels.
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  • Santa Clara University: Go Fossil Free!
    We will surpass the manageable global warming temperature threshold within 15 years if we do not take immediate action to drastically reduce carbon emissions. Fossil fuel companies contribute most egregiously to this terrifying reality. To address this issue, the divestment campaign is urging cities, schools, religious institutions, and other organizations around the world to divest from the top 200 fossil fuel extraction companies as listed by the Carbon Tracker Initiative. Santa Clara University should be the next to divest. Although the world’s wealthiest countries produce the vast majority of carbon emissions globally, the unsettling reality is that the poorest countries are the least equipped to deal with the effects of climate change. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, “even under the most conservative scenario, sea level will be about 40 cm higher than today by the end of 21st century,” which will “increase the annual number of people flooded in coastal populations from 13 million to 94 million,” mostly in already impoverished South and East Asian countries. Globally, climate change introduces the threat of food shortages, risks to households in low-elevation areas, spread of diseases, and increases in the intensity and frequency of tropical storms: tragedies that will affect the world’s poor disproportionately. Jesuit values urge us as educated and empathetic individuals to take action against this profound injustice that has already begun to afflict the world’s most vulnerable. As a leading Jesuit university, SCU strives to instill in the minds and hearts of its students the values of competence, conscience, and compassion. These Jesuit values, if genuinely practiced, compel us as globally minded citizens and engaged members of the SCU community to demand that our university becomes a leader in the fight against climate change, rather than continuing to contribute to the most formidable issue our world has ever known. For us to truly embody the “three C’s,” we feel it is imperative that our university take a definitive stand against this industry that blindly disregards the wellbeing of our world’s most vulnerable communities, while threatening the viability of a livable future for all. Divestment from these top 200 companies is a crucial step in curbing irreversible damage to our planet, and showing through action, rather than through words alone, that Santa Clara University does not support the morals and practices of these corporations. By divesting, SCU will create an avenue for long term financial stability, remain true to its core values, and continue to be a leader among Jesuit universities in sustainable action and social justice. Fossil Free SCU is a coalition of the Santa Clara Community Action Program's environmental justice club B-LEJIT (Bronco Leaders for Environmental Justice Investigating Truth) and GREEN Club. Questions? Contact: [email protected]
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  • Divest World Learning from Fossil Fuels
    Two hundred publicly traded companies hold the vast majority of the world's coal, oil and gas. They currently have five times as much carbon than climate scientists believe is safe to burn. We, as Green Up SIT believe that it is wrong to profit off of the wreckage of the climate and are asking for the World Learning Board of Trustees to divest from this corrupt industry.
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  • Drew Divests
    Help us to get Drew University to join the growing number of schools divesting from fossil fuels (ie selling our investments in fossil fuel companies). In this call to action, we will discuss some of the ethical and financial reasons for divesting. Given the clear academic consensus that climate change is a calamitous reality, our tuition dollars should not be invested in businesses that contribute to this problem (at the expense of our generation as well as future ones). If Drew University truly has the best interest of its students at heart, it must not financially support industries that jeopardize our future. Thus far, Drew has placed a commendable emphasis on environmental issues. We have an Environmental Studies and Sustainability program, a sustainability office, and off campus programs dedicated to both the study of ecosystems and the disastrous impact that fossil fuels have on them. It is important that the sustainability-minded approach that characterizes our academics be manifested in the school’s financial actions as well. Moreover, as an educational institution, we should not be financially supporting businesses that have actively spread misinformation concerning climate change and other environmental issues. Specifically, fossil fuel companies have worked exceedingly hard to discredit forms of alternative energy. Not only do these investments contradict the academic nature of our university, we feel that supporting fossil fuels is fiscally irresponsible in the long run. As indicated by the points below, the growing academic consensus is that our current fossil fuel production is not financially sustainable. 1. Global conventional oil discoveries peaked in the 1970s. 2. Conventional oil production in the U.S. peaked around 1970 and has been in decline ever since. Likewise, conventional oil production has peaked in most other major oil producing countries- including Russia, Venezuela, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Norway. 3. New alternative sources of oil (such as Kerogen and tar sands) are expensive to obtain and not cost effective. 4. Other universities (and even some nations) are already divesting and selling their holdings in the fossil fuel industry. It is important that we divest now before the prices of fossil fuel stocks fall and we get left behind. This is a call to action in response to the challenges facing our generations. You can be a part of Drew University’s proud history of leading the way in fostering global change (as seen in our role in the anti-apartheid movement or our current efforts to embrace globalization and become one of the most international colleges in the country). This divestment movement is a rare opportunity to take significant action and meet these challenges head-on. With your support, Drew can continue leading the way. After all, what good is our education if we don’t use it?
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