Nearby Petitions

Colleges & Universities

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  Divest Lucy Cavendish College From Fossil Fuels

  Climate change is the most pressing problem of our time and fossil fuel companies cause a significant share of global carbon emissions. Hence, the transition to renewable energy resources is one of the most important steps to keep the global temperature-increase under the 2 degrees limit of the Paris Convention and is closely connected to investment policies. The social and environmental consequences of climate change are unequally distributed across the globe and among individuals. Investments legitimise the activities of fossil fuel companies that are related to complicity in human rights violations and environmental disasters. Divestment of the fossil fuel industry reflects the progressive values that Lucy Cavendish College aims to represent. The Guardian’s recent revelations* expose the influence of the fossil fuel lobby on the University’s decision to reject divestment last year. Lucy Cavendish College can, in accordance with its progressive values, express its disapproval of the collusion between the fossil fuel industry and the University of Cambridge by divesting. Investments in fossil fuel companies are economically unreliable because of volatile share prices. This is because such companies in the fossil fuel industry attract public scrutiny for their complicity in human rights violations and environmental disasters. Further, there is a volatile market-evaluation of natural resources. In the long run, this evaluation is expected to decrease significantly because of more efficient renewable energy sources and a decrease of the profitability of the fossil fuel industry. Divestment is feasible as fossil free funds have been shown to perform on par with or better than conventional investments. * https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/jan/30/bp-and-bhp-offered-cambridge-university-millions-despite-calls-to-divest

  67 of 100 Signatures

  Created by L. H.
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  Divest Clare Hall from Fossil Fuels

  We petition Clare Hall to divest because scientific evidence shows that catastrophic environmental breakdowns are imminent if drastic changes are not made very soon. Climate change is a matter of social justice and financial responsibility. Marginalized populations are already and will continue to be disproportionately affected by climate change. Divestment weakens fossil fuel companies’ social legitimacy and sends a message that ‘business-as-usual’ is unacceptable. We petition Clare Hall to recognize the social and financial value of divested portfolios. Fossil free funds have been shown to perform on par with or better than conventional investments. Managers experienced with ESG investing can help make this a feasible and financially responsible path. We support the proposal for divestment to also include targeted investing in businesses that promote sustainable environmental practices and better energy alternatives to fossil fuels. We also petition Clare Hall to divest because we believe that it would align with the College’s history of operating on progressive values, and its stated commitment to improving energy conservation and reducing our carbon footprint. Finally, we petition Clare Hall to divest because it represents an opportunity to join the 988 institutions already committed to divestment globally (combined worth $7.18 trillion), and to show leadership where our university has so far not done so. As more colleges consider taking similar action, we believe that Clare Hall can be a leading, influential voice in the local and international debate on divestment from fossil fuels, as one step in the broader challenge of addressing climate change. For sources and the full policy proposal document contact fossilfreeclarehall@gmail.com

  111 of 200 Signatures

  Created by Clare Hall Fossil Free
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  DIVEST LSE FROM FOSSIL FUELS

  Time and again it has been scientifically proven that climate change triggered by the increase of CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere is directly linked to human industrial activity that is powered by the burning of fossil fuels. To stabilise atmospheric CO2 concentrations and thereby minimise the hard to predict impacts of rising global temperatures, we need to take action right now. Therefore, we the students of LSE are asking the school to disclose its endowment fund investments. If the portfolio contains investments in fossil fuel focussed companies, we will work with the the school to shift its focus towards low carbon technology and clean energy companies. We must mitigate the anthropogenic effect by addressing where our institution is investing its money.

  905 of 1,000 Signatures

  Created by Collective of environmentally conscious LSE students
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  Divest The Open University from fossil fuels

  To support the speediest conversion to reducing carbon dioxide emissions, encourage politicians to get serious themselves, and to be a consistent part of the solution rather than a part of the problem.

  709 of 800 Signatures

  Created by Simon Barton
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  University of Aberdeen: Divest from Fossil Fuels

  The future of Aberdeen graduates is currently threatened by climate change. Already we are suffering the effects of a 1°C rise in global average temperatures, and world leaders agree that the warming must be contained at a 2°C increase in order to avoid catastrophic global effects. UN climate chief Christina Figueres has called on investors to divest from fossil fuels, saying “The pensions, life insurances and nest eggs of billions of ordinary people depend on the long-term security and stability of institutional investment funds. Climate change increasingly poses one of the biggest long-term threats to those investments and the wealth of the global economy.” In order to avoid global temperatures rising further than a 2°C increase, as much as 80% of currently known fossil fuel reserves will have to be left in the ground - yet the value of fossil fuel assets is based on the extraction of all those reserves. When the world gets serious about climate change, these "carbon bubbles" will burst and the value of fossil fuel shares will plummet. This is why the university not only has a moral, but also a financial duty to withdraw its investments from the fossil fuel industry. We call on the University of Aberdeen to join other universities leading the way on this issue and protect the future of its students by divesting from the fossil fuel industry now.

  1,405 of 2,000 Signatures

  Created by Eva Nohe
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  Die Uni Heidelberg soll sich zu einem klimafreundlichen Finanz- und Anlagemanagement bekennen.

  Begründung: Spätestens die Dürre dieses Sommers hat uns gezeigt, dass der Klimwandel mitten in Deutschland angekommen ist. Wir haben einen ersten Vorgeschmack bekommen, welchen Druck der Klimawandel auf unsere Landwirtschaft und Gesellschaft ausüben kann. Die extemen Unwetter häufen sich hierzulande genauso wie die "Jahrhundertstürme" an den Küsten Amerikas und Asiens. Allein für Deutschland rechnet die Münchener Rückversicherung bis 2050 mt 800 Milliarden Euro Klimafolgeschäden. Hunderte Millionen von Menschen in den Ländern des globalen Südens sehen das Land unter ihren Füßen durch die Ausbreitung der Wüsten und den Anstieg des Meeresspiegels bedroht. Die Weltbank beziffert die Anzahl der Klimaflüchtlinge bis 2050 mit 140 Millionen. Die internationale Staatengemeinschaft hat sich, um die katastrophalen Folgen eines noch gefährlicheren Klimawandels abzuwenden, 2015 in Paris verpflichtet, alles in ihrer Macht stehende zu unternehmen, um die Erderwärmung deutlich unter zwei Grad Celsius zu begrenzen. Die Ziele, die sich die Staaten allerdings auferlegt haben, führen uns auf einen Pfad, der bis 2100 eine Erwärmung um über 3 Grad Celsius bedeutet. Um die Klimakrise noch aufhalten zu können, müssen die Klimaschutzbemühungen der Staaten also deutlich verschärft werden. Der bestehende wissenschaftliche Konsens besagt, wenn wir den Temperaturanstieg unter 2°C halten wollen, müssen wir dafür sorgen, dass 80% der bekannten Vorkommen fossiler Brennstoffe unter der Erde bleiben. Erdöl-, Kohle- und Gaskonzerne verheizen aber weiterhin ohne Rücksicht auf unsere Lebensgrundlagen und auf zukünftie Generationen in alarmierendem Tempo die bestehenden Vorkommen und geben Milliarden aus, um noch mehr fossile Brennstoffe zu finden. Dabei schrecken sie auch nicht vor hochriskanten und umweltzerstörenden Methoden wie Fracking, Mountain Top Removal, Tagebau, Offshore Drilling und dem Abbau von Teersanden zurück. Daraus ziehen viele dem Gemeinwohl und der Gesellschaft verpflichtete Akteure, wie Städte Kommunden, Universitäten, Kirchen, Stiftungen und auch FInanzinstitute bereits Konsequenzen. Sie investieren nicht mehr in fossile Energien und in Unternehmen, die fossile Energieträger erschließen, abbauen oder verfeuern. Das ist der Grundgedanke von Fossil Free! In Deutschland haben sich unter anderem schon die Städten Göttingen, Münster, Berlin, Bremen und die Universitäten Göttingen und Münster dem Divestement angeschlossen. Es ist an der Zeit, dass sich die Universität Heidelberg getreu ihres Mottos "Zukunft seit 1386" öffentlich und verbindlich zu einem klimafreundlichen Finanz- und Anlagemanagement bekennt.

  104 of 200 Signatures

  Created by LIsa-Marie Zoller
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  University of Turku: Go Fossil Free

  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. [2][3][4][5] Ilmastotieteilijät ovat yhtä mieltä siitä, että fossiilisten polttoaineiden käyttö on suurin yksittäinen syy antropogeeniseen eli ihmisen toiminnan aiheuttamaan ilmastonmuutokseen, joka aiheuttaa äärimmäisen vakavia ekologisia ja sosiaalisia katastrofeja. [2] Turun yliopiston tulisi johtaa omalla esimerkillään ilmastonmuutoksen hillitsemistä harjoittamalla entistä kestävämpää sijoitustoimintaa niin ympäristön kuin taloudenkin kannalta. Hiilikuplalla tarkoitetaan fossiilisia polttoaineita tuottaviin yhtiöihin liittyvää taloudellista riskiä, joka johtuu alihintaisten kasvihuonekaasupäästöjen aiheuttamasta markkinahäiriöstä. Hiilikupla on saanut useita sijoittajia vetämään sijoituksensa pois näistä yhtiöistä. [6][7] Yliopiston siirtyminen fossiilisten polttoaineiden tuottajista vapaaseen sijoitusstrategiaan olisi vahva signaali yliopiston henkilökunnalle ja opiskelijoille siitä, että yliopiston johto tunnustaa tieteellisen tutkimustyön tulokset ja pyrkii kehittämään yliopiston toimintaa entistä kestävämmäksi. Yhteiskunta tarvitsee edelläkävijöitä, jotka luovat uuden normaalin ja motivoivat muita osallistumaan uusien parhaiden käytäntöjen omaksumiseen. ------------------------------------------------------ Why is this important? Universities have the moral responsibility to act according to the leading sources of scientific research and education in a society. The scientific consensus is clear and overwhelming; we cannot safely burn even half of the world's fossil-fuel reserves without dangerously warming the planet for several thousand years. [2][3][4] Scientists agree that global warming caused by humans burning fossil fuels will continue to accelerate and intensify tragic climate disasters. [2] University of Turku should take the lead in confronting climate change by promoting sustainable and financially sound asset management practises. Carbon bubble is a term used to describe the financial risk related to companies holding fossil fuel reserves as governments move to fix the market failure caused by uncontrolled carbon emissions. [5][6][7] Divestment would send a strong signal to the University's staff as well as current and future students, that the University will take action for a sustainable future. Society as a whole needs leadership from organisations that shape the future and motivate others to join and implement best practises. [1] http://gofossilfree.org/companies/ [2] http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar5/wg1/WGIAR5_SPM_brochure_en.pdf [3] http://carbontracker.live.kiln.it/index.html?CMP=twt_gu [4] http://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus [5] http://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/carbon-dioxide/ [6] http://gofossilfree.org/endorsements/ [7] http://www.carbontracker.org/report/carbon-bubble/ [8]http://www.tyy.fi/sites/tyy.fi/files/attachment/liite1_talousstrategia_edustajistolle.pdf

  623 of 800 Signatures

  Created by Valtteri Moilanen
• Divest Birkbeck

  Investment in fossil fuel industries drives fossil fuel consumption and its negative social and environmental impacts. Burning coal, oil, and gas releases CO2 and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, both warming and polluting the planet. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), if the status quo continues the planet could warm by almost 5oC by 2100. This would have a catastrophic impact on human life. It would turn our planet into one not “similar to that on which civilization developed and to which life on Earth is adapted”, as James Hansen, a top climate scientist at NASA put it. The second reason is that investment in these companies gives implicit support to their activities. It is a matter of social justice and duty that the University withdraw its financial support for companies that actively contribute to global warming, the burden of which is being felt disproportionately by the world’s poorest countries, who are contributing least to climate change. Not only does this exacerbate global poverty it perpetuates further social inequality between the global south and the global north. Divestment from fossil fuel firms will help remove fossil fuel companies’ social license to exploit the world's most impoverished nations. The third reason is that investment in fossil fuel companies is illogical when set against the University’s environmental priorities. The university is pledging to reduce carbon emissions and embed sustainability into their business model and culture of institutions. It intends to be fully compliant with environmental legislation and promote environmental responsibility. On this basis and in light of the Paris agreement that includes averting irreversible damage to the ecosystems, all planetary life and livelihoods. Besides its dangers, there are strong financial arguments for divestment. As the BP oil spill illustrated, fossil fuel companies operate in risky contexts that can not only damage environments and communities, but also shareholder value. Fossil fuel companies are at the mercy of regulations aimed at preventing climate change. Recent research has shown that, if regulators are serious about preventing climate change, a third of global oil reserves, half of all gas reserves, and over 80% of coal reserves will have to remain unburned to limit global warming to 2ºC. This means fossil fuel firms would have to massively write down the value of assets on their balance sheets, leading to huge and sustained destruction in shareholder value. By divesting from fossil fuels, the University will join a long list of respected institutions already committed to going fossil free, including Stanford University, Glasgow University, Oxford CIty Council, the World Council of Churches, and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. The global divestment campaign is growing, and together we can make a statement about how we want our future to look. We urge all students, alumni, staff and members of the public to sign the petition to support an end to social and environmental devastation.

  194 of 200 Signatures

  Created by Suzanne Henry
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  Divest York from Fossil Fuels

  The University is failing in this commitment to not knowingly invest in companies whose practices pose a risk of harm to individuals or groups. The combustion of fossil fuels is responsible for 87% of all human carbon dioxide emissions which drastically contributes to anthropogenic climate change which in turn kills approximately 600,000 people yearly. As of last calculations, the University of York has £217000 invested in Fossil Fuels, and with 68 Universities already having pledged their commitment to divest from Fossil Fuels -including our rivals York St. John, it's about time the University of York did the same. The University of Edinburgh has divested over £6.3 million from fossil fuels, surely York can divest £217000.

  1,281 of 2,000 Signatures

  Created by YUSU Environment
• University of Portsmouth: Divest from the Fossil Fuel Industry

  The fossil fuel industry is driving the world towards a climate crisis. The science is clear, if we are to avoid catastrophic changes to our planet’s climate, threatening ecosystems and the lives of billions of people, we must drastically reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and transfer to cleaner energy systems. And we must do it quickly. The fossil fuel industry is actively blocking efforts to achieve this transition. It is wielding its unparalleled political influence to ensure global carbon emissions continue to rise, and reaping exorbitant profits at the cost of all our futures. This cannot be allowed to continue. It is incumbent upon all people of conscience now to take a stand against those individuals and institutions that would enrich themselves at humanity’s expense. The first step in doing that is to declare that you won’t be one of them. The University of Portsmouth should not attempt to profit from this morally bankrupt industry, and should join the growing international movement to withdraw its social license to operate.

  52 of 100 Signatures

  Created by Green Society