50 signatures reached
To: Mayor and City Council of Kansas City
Divest Kansas City from Fossil Fuels!
We call on the Mayor and City Council of Kansas City, MO to pass a strong resolution supporting fossil fuel divestment and recommending that those boards responsible for locally-directed pension funds immediately freeze any new investments in fossil fuels and divest from direct ownership and any commingled funds that include fossil fuel public equities and corporate bonds within 5 years.
Why is this important?
Our local government has a responsibility to lead, and they can do so be passing a resoluation recommending that we divest from a rogue industry that’s destroying our future, and reinvest in solutions to climate disruption. The fossil fuel industry has chosen to ignore the signs of a warming planet in favor of profit above all cost.
We can not count on the federal government, even as extreme weather events occur around the world. In 2012 Hurricane Sandy decimated the east coast and extreme drought and heat hit the Midwest, devastating crops. Kansas City Meteorologist Gary Lezak said, "Kansas City residents may also have to adapt to a climate that's more likely to be warmer, with bigger swings between wet and dry periods." 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. The fossil fuel bubble is bound to burst, and Kansas City must invest in the future. We're thrilled to hear news that the city plans to add solar panels to 80 of its buildings! So what's the next step? It's time to divest from fossil fuels now!