-
Konstanz - öffentliche Investitionen raus aus fossilen BrennstoffenDie Klimakrise und ihre Folgen stellen eine akute Gefahr für unsere Gesellschaften dar. Die globale Temperatur steigt kontinuierlich an. Schon heute sind die zerstörerischen Folgen dieser Entwicklung auch bei uns spürbar. Dazu gehören immer mehr extreme Hitzeperioden in europäischen Städten genauso wie die Jahrhundertfluten, die inzwischen alle 10 Jahre auftreten. Bei der “Jahrhundertflut” 2013 waren neun Bundesländer betroffen, in 55 Landkreisen musste Katastrophenalarm ausgerufen werden, Zehntausende Menschen mussten für Wochen ihre Wohnungen verlassen. Das Klima verändert sich buchstäblich vor unseren Augen. Beinahe alle Regierungen der Welt stimmen heute überein, dass eine Erwärmung um mehr als 2°C gefährlich wäre und durch katastrophale Rückkopplungen dazu führen könnte, dass auf unserem Planeten menschliches Leben unmöglich wird. Gleichzeitig bleiben uns nur noch weniger als 10 Jahre die entscheidenden Schritte einzuleiten um das 2° Ziel noch zu erreichen und eine sich immer weiter selbst verstärkende Erwärmung zu verhindern. Dazu müssen wir dafür sorgen, dass 80% aller heute bekannten Vorkommen fossiler Brennstoffe unter der Erde bleiben. Erdölkonzerne erschließen jedoch immer schneller die bestehenden Vorkommen und geben gleichzeitig Milliarden aus, um immer mehr fossile Brennstoffe zu finden. Wenn wir so weitermachen wie bisher, ist die Welt auf bestem Wege, fünfmal soviel fossile Brennstoffe zu verbrennen wie laut vorsichtigen Schätzungen „sicher“ wären.290 of 300 SignaturesCreated by Felix Müller
-
Divest Lancaster University from Unethical InvestmentIt's 2021 and Lancaster University is STILL investing in fossil fuels to the tune of £171,753. UK universities support the fossil fuel industry directly through investments in companies such as BP and Shell. Lancaster University's involvement with this industry is incompatible with their image as a green university, actively promoting renewable energy and sustainability. When this campaign began in 2014 around 14% of the university's current investments were in fossil fuels and nearly 4% of investments were in the arms trade. These investments are incompatible with the view of Lancaster as an ethical and environmentally friendly university, and we believe an increased awareness and lobbying by students will encourage the university management to adopt an ethical investment policy. Link to our most up to date information on the University's investments: https://peopleandplanet.org/university/129384#fossil-free-scorecard Link to our early research: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/university_investments_2?nocache=incoming-575353#incoming-5753531,423 of 2,000 SignaturesCreated by Orla McKeon-Carter
-
SUSSEX UNIVERSITY DIVESTMENT CAMPAIGN - WE WONAccording to the most recent projections, the world is headed on a course to global warming of 4 degrees by the end of this century if we carry on emitting CO2 at current rates. [1] It is clear that fossil fuels are not the way forward, and that we must end our addiction to carbon and find sustainable energy alternatives before it is too late. Despite this, our governments and institutions continue to invest vast sums in companies extracting oil and gas, giving them huge public subsidies that have helped to make them some of the most profitable companies in the world. The University of Sussex is renowned as a progressive institution, and we believe that the University should lead by example and join dozens of other universities, religious institutions and local governments across the world that have already committed to investing its money ethically, and going fossil free. Collectively, we have the opportunity to send an important signal to our governments and the private sector about the urgent moral and financial imperative of phasing out fossil fuels.2,054 of 3,000 SignaturesCreated by Rachel Mohun
-
Divest the City of Beaverton from Fossil Fuels and Nuclear Power!Our local government has a responsibility to divest from an industry that’s destroying our future. We can reinvest in solutions to climate change! For more about my work on Climate Change as I prepare to become a Bar Mitzvah please visit: yitzchakadin.wordpress.com. We can not count on action by the federal government. We as individuals, citizens, and members of other organizations need to act also. Extreme weather events are overwhelming local budgets across our country. Nuclear power is no better--not only is it nuclear (and therefore terrible, which should be obvious)--fossil fuels are used heavily in its production and in attempts to minimize the hazard of storing nuclear waste. 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 and nuclear power now!532 of 600 SignaturesCreated by Pam and Rob and Miko and Isaac Vergun
-
University of Dundee: DIVEST FROM FOSSIL FUELSDundee University’s environmental and sustainability policy statement lists using “resources efficiently to minimise our impact on the environment” among its responsibilities, and divesting from fossil fuels could certainly reduce our negative effects. While fossil fuels are limited and damaging to the environment, investing in more green industries could aid the UK in producing more sustainable energy and more viable long-term investments. The fact that anthropogenic global warming is occurring is supported by a huge number of scientific communities, and continued use of fossil fuels will exacerbate the problem. By 2011, methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide content in the air had already increased by 150%, 40%, and 20% respectively since 1750. The temperature of the oceans has increased by about 0.72 degrees centigrade between 1951 and 2012. While research in the University is producing exciting sustainable possibilities that may help us stop this increase, we feel that its investments should also reflect that intent.530 of 600 SignaturesCreated by Dundee People & Planet
-
NTNU og SiT ut av fossil energi - nåFor øyeblikket vet vi at SiT og NTNU tilsammen har minst 17 millioner investert i fossil energi. Den totale verdien er helt sikkert høyere siden vi er usikre på hvor mye av SiTs internasjonale investeringer som er plassert i fossilbransjen. Kampanjen er viktig av både miljømessige og økonomisk årsaker. Miljøsaken: Klimaendringene er den største utfordringen i vår tid. I september 2013 offentliggjorde IPCC sin siste rapport som slår fast at det er ekstremt sannsynlig at den observerte oppvarmingen i global temperatur siste halvdel av 1900-tallet er et resultat av menneskelig aktivitet og CO2-utslipp. En økning i global temperatur fører til påvirkninger på natur og økosystemer som truer vårt livsgrunnlag og annet liv på planeten. Tall fra Carbon Tracker Initiative viser at fire femdeler av verdens kjente ressurser av fossil energi må bli liggende i bakken hvis vi skal ha en reell sjanse for å unngå en global oppvarming over to grader. Selv de mest konservative regjeringer i verden er enige om at to grader oppvarming er for mye. Den siste rapporten fra FNs Klimapanel IPCC viser at hvis vi fortsetter utslippene som i dag, vil vi ha en økning på over fire grader fra dagens temperatur. Hvis det er galt å ødelegge klimaet er det også galt å tjene penger på at klimaet ødelegges. Økonomisaken: Investering i fossile energikilder blir stadig mer risikabelt og eksperter advarer nå om en "karbonboble". Når verdens regjeringer bestemmer seg for å regulere utslipp av klimagasser og fossilt brennstoff, får vi en situasjon hvor selskaper er tvunget til å la kull, olje og gassreserver ligge igjen under bakken, noe som vil føre til at aksjekursen deres etter hvert vil falle. I praksis er det ingen spesiell risiko ved å ikke investere i fossil energi, det er mange fossilfrie fond med samme risiko- og avkastningsprofil. Deinvestering skjer allerede nå i Norge. Skagenfondene har annonsert en reduksjon i sine fossile investeringer på 50%, og Storebrand ekskluderer nå 23 kullselskaper fra sin investeringsportefølje fordi de sier slike investeringer vil være verdiløse i fremtiden. Hvis vi trekker ut pengene fra fossile energikilder og investerer i fossilfrie selskaper i stedet, kan vi begynne på en overgang til en mer miljøvennlig, bærekraftig og ren framtid både for oss mennesker og for jorda vår. Konseptet er enkelt: ta pengene ut av fossil energi, og bruk dem på bedre ting! -------- At the moment we know that combined SiT & NTNU have at least 17 millon kroner invested in fossil fuels. The total value is very likely to be higher that this as we are unsure as to how much of SiTs international investments are in the fossil fuel industry. The campaign is important for both environmental and economic reasons. Environmental case: Climate change is the biggest issue of the day facing us and our planet. In the latest IPCC report published in September 2013, it was stated that it was extremely likely that the warming of global temperature in the second half of the last century was due to human activity, namely increased CO2 into the atmosphere from human activity burning fossil fuels. The effects of global warming are widespread and threaten our livelihoods, our ecosystem services and nature as we know it. Figures from the Carbon Tracker Initiative show that 4/5th of the world’s known fossil fuel resource base must be left untouched in the ground to have a fair chance of avoiding exceeding the 2 degree limit which even the most conservative governments in the world have agreed would be too much. Emitting at present rates will lead to a four degree temperature warming. To stay within a two degree limit, we must sharply reduce our emission levels by approximately 5% per year. If it wrong to wreck the climate then it is also wrong to profit from that wreckage. Economics case: Investing in fossil fuels is more risky and experts are now warning of a ‘carbon bubble’. When the worlds governments decide to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and the use of fossil fuels we will have a situation where businesses are forced to keep their coal, oil and gas reserves in the ground and therefore their share prices will drop significantly. Economic experts have assessed the case of fossil fuels and in reality there is nothing particularly risky in divesting from fossil fuels and there are many funds that are fossil free with the same risk profile. If we divest from fossil fuels and invest that money into ethical businesses instead then we are able to transition to a more environmentally friendly, sustainable and clean future for both people and the planet. The concept is simple - divest from fossil fuels & use the money for something better!1,485 of 2,000 SignaturesCreated by Fossilfrie Penger Trondheim
-
Divest City of Moreland's bankingAt the end of 2012 the City of Moreland became the third council in Australia to become Carbon Neutral in its operations. However the bank City of Moreland uses, the Commonwealth Bank - is investing billions in fossil fuel projects around Australia that intend to operate for decades to come. This is not compatible with a safe future for our planet as the bank's activities will lead to emissions that will dwarf the City's carbon reduction efforts many times over.302 of 400 SignaturesCreated by Michael Stanley
-
SCRIPPS COLLEGE: GO FOSSIL FREE!Climate change is accelerating. We are witnessing the increasing impacts of a warming planet more and more consistently, for in the last year alone our country experienced record-breaking heat, droughts, and hurricanes which impacted hundreds of thousands of people and cost our country hundreds of billions of dollars. From Hurricane Sandy to Typhoon Haiyan, we have seen just a glimpse of the destruction the future will hold. Experts agree that global warming caused by humans burning fossil fuels will continue to accelerate and intensify these tragic climate disasters. The scientific consensus is clear and overwhelming; we cannot safely burn even a fifth of global fossil fuel reserves without dangerously warming the planet. Climate change is already affecting and will continue to disproportionately affect people of color and those living in poverty. People from countries that have done the least to contribute to climate change will suffer the most from the actions of affluent polluters. Thus, divestment is a matter of achieving climate justice for all. As public pressure to confront climate change builds, we call on Scripps College to immediately freeze any new investments in fossil fuel companies and to divest within five years from direct ownership and from any commingled funds that include fossil fuel public equities and corporate bonds. We believe such action on behalf of Scripps College will not only be a sound decision for our institution’s financial portfolios but also for the well-being of its current and future graduating classes who deserve the opportunity to graduate with a future not defined by climate catastrophe. We can only fulfill Ellen Browning Scripps’ vision of living “confidently, courageously, and hopefully” on a planet not devastated by climate change.438 of 500 SignaturesCreated by Avery Pheil
-
Disinvest the Church of England from fossil fuels1. Climate change is becoming an ever more urgent issue, with increasingly severe impacts on our sisters and brothers around the world. Experts estimate that one person every second is displaced by climate or weather-related disasters. According to the Lancet, the number of weather-related disasters has increased by 46% since the year 2000. 2. Churches have a duty to ensure that their investments do not compromise the ethical position of their institutions. It is deeply uncomfortable for the Church to continue to invest in fossil fuels, which are causing the very harm it seeks to alleviate. 3. The Church of England invests more than £190 million in fossil fuel companies, despite the increasing financial risks of fossil fuel investments. A Carbon Tracker report published in 2017 found that five out of six major oil and gas companies were risking more than 30% of investments on projects that will never be pursued if global average temperature rises are limited to 2 degrees Celsius. 4. At Shell's AGM in May 2018, 95% of shareholders rejected a resolution calling on the company to set stronger emissions targets in line with the Paris Agreement goals. ExxonMobil blocked a resolution on climate change from being considered at its 2018 AGM. It is clear that engagement with fossil fuel companies isn't working. 5. The vast majority of known fossil fuel reserves must remain in the ground if we are to have any chance of meeting the Paris Agreement targets. The reserves in currently operating oil and gas fields alone would take the world beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming. 6. The Church of England has made commitments to address climate change and reduce its overall carbon footprint. This commitment must be extended to how funds are invested. The Church has a unique opportunity to demonstrate leadership on this issue and to influence the public debate on the ethics of continuing to invest in fossil fuels. For more information about Operation Noah's Bright Now campaign, please visit www.brightnow.org.uk6,787 of 7,000 SignaturesCreated by Operation Noah
-
Swansea University: Divest from Fossil Fuels!The world in which the students of Swansea University are to graduate into is currently threatened by the reality of climate change. Already the world is suffering the effects of 1°C rise in global average temperatures. Last year, Arctic sea-ice cover had retreated to its lowest levels since the beginning of satellite records, and the average global sea level was 1.4in above the 1993-2010 average. The world is experiencing more severe draught, wildfires and flooding, which impact the world's poorest most severely; the World Health Organisation estimates that climate change is causing at least 140,000 deaths per year. The fossil fuel industry is unequivocally driving us towards a global climate crisis, and we will not keep dangerous climate change at bay without halting our extraction of fossil-fuels. The university has both a moral and a financial duty to its students to withdraw its investments from the fossil fuel industry. The moral case is clear: if it is wrong to wreck the climate, then it is wrong to profit from that wreckage. Furthermore, fossil fuels are a dangerous investment. The value of companies like Shell, BP and Chevron is based on the assumption that they will be able to dig up and sell their fossil fuel reserves. But if the world gets serious about stopping climate change, that would mean keeping 80% of proven fossil fuel reserves in the ground, and the assumption that forms the basis for these companies' value will be undermined. We call on Swansea University to lead the way on this issue, and protect the future of its students by divesting from the fossil fuel industry now.825 of 1,000 SignaturesCreated by Swansea People and Planet
-
University of Exeter Fossil Free CampaignJPMorgan Chase is one of the worlds largest investment banks and as such has its fingers in a great many pots. Unfortunately some of these pots come with some truly terrible baggage, from fossil fuels to animal testing JPMorgan invests in them all. This sadly includes being the US's largest share holders in PetroChina, a company which has been widely recognized and condemned for helping finance genocide in Sudan. That means in a single company your tuition fees have direct connections to both the worsening of Climate Change and a Genocide that stills claims more than 100 lives every day. For a University to profit from any of these causes is wrong beyond belief but to be involved in all of them and more is a complete catastrophe. By signing you are telling the University that this cannot continue and that you support the campaign for not just a Fossil Free Exeter but an Ethically Invested Exeter as well.696 of 800 SignaturesCreated by Robin Ellis-Cockcroft
-
Fossil Free SheffieldAs said so effectively by 350.org - "It’s simple math: we can emit 565 more gigatons of carbon dioxide and stay below 2°C of warming — anything more than that risks catastrophe for life on earth. The only problem? Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2,795 gigatons of carbon dioxide – five times the safe amount."2,440 of 3,000 SignaturesCreated by Camilla Zerr