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To: President Michael Lovell, MU Board of Trustees, & the MU Endowment Office

Marquette University: Divest From Fossil Fuels

We request that the Marquette Endowment Office announces their commitment to immediately freeze any new investments in fossil fuels, and to divest from direct ownership and any commingled funds that include fossil fuel public equities and corporate bonds within 5 years.

Why is this important?

Divestment refers to the decision to sell investments in companies that do not meet a standard of social/environmental responsibility. By signing this petition, you join Fossil Free Marquette in requesting that Marquette University divests from fossil fuel companies on the grounds that their industry’s business practices (specifically, unrestrained carbon emissions and manufactured climate disinformation campaigns) are harmful to the planet and all its residents. By freeing our investment portfolio of fossil fuels, Marquette can accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy, motivate other institutions to follow our lead, and to truly uphold the Jesuit principle of justice.

The fossil fuel industry has acknowledged the climatological threats that entail from rising carbon emissions, even as far back as the 1960’s—however, instead of using their capital to reduce their emissions, they’ve spent billions greenwashing, lobbying against climate policies, and funding massive climate denial efforts.

If we want to limit planetary warming to 1.5º C, atmospheric CO2 concentration needs to be kept under 350 parts per million (ppm); however, we’re currently at 415 ppm, and companies like Shell have openly admitted that they have no plans to reduce emissions until as late as 2050.

Institutions around the world have already divested over $12 trillion to keep fossil fuel companies accountable for their lack of action. We ask that you sign this petition to show to the Marquette administration that its students, alumni, donors, and faculty demand fossil fuel divestment.

Zilber Hall, West Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI, USA

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Updates

2020-02-13 23:20:39 -0500

100 signatures reached

2020-01-28 22:28:53 -0500

50 signatures reached

2020-01-28 17:33:45 -0500

25 signatures reached

2020-01-28 11:08:09 -0500

10 signatures reached