Nearby Petitions

Colleges & Universities

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  Call to switch to a sustainable bank

  Anthropogenic climate change poses a threat to humans and natural systems on a global scale. Temperatures are rising rapidly: nine out of ten of the warmest years ever recorded in human history occurred after 2000 [1], and global temperatures continue to break records in 2016 [2]. Sea levels are steadily rising, extreme weather events are expected to occur more frequently, and oceans are acidifying at a frightening rate. Species are threatened with mass extinction and humans are displaced from their homes [3]. It is clear that efforts must be undertaken to stop climate change sooner rather than later. At the end of 2015, world leaders got together for COP21 in Paris and agreed to “[hold] the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels” [4]. If we are to take this ambition seriously, then we need to put a strict limit on the amount of fossil fuels that can still be used. In fact, we effectively have a ‘carbon budget’. This carbon budget clearly shows that a large part of the currently operational coal mines and gas and oil fields cannot be exploited at all, if we do not want to exceed 1.5 or 2 °C global warming [5]. Wageningen University & Research is renowned for its high quality education and research programmes [6], as well as for its sustainable practices [7]. With regards to sustainability and corporate social responsibility, Wageningen University & Research states that its goal is “to take a leading role in the area of sustainable operational management” and the institute shows that it is working on increasing sustainability in many ways [8]. However, one aspect of sustainability that has not been considered sufficiently, in our opinion, is finance. As the world has sensibly placed a carbon budget on its emissions, it has become evident that current and future investments in the fossil fuel industry can be regarded as irresponsible and unwise. Wageningen University & Research indirectly contributes to these investments through their use of two unsustainable banks: ABN AMRO and Rabobank. These banks score particularly poorly on the aspect of climate change, as highlighted by EerlijkeBankwijzer [9]. They are responsible for substantial financial support to fossil fuel industries through loans and shareholding practices [10]. Investing in fossil fuel extraction, as ABN AMRO and Rabobank do, is absolutely incompatible with the internationally agreed upon limit of 2 °C global warming. Fortunately, there is a suitable alternative. Triodos Bank is the only bank in the Netherlands that does not invest in the fossil fuel industry [11] and is capable of taking on large institutions as their clients. Furthermore, we believe Triodos Bank’s mission and key values [12] are highly consistent with those of Wageningen University & Research. Through a personal meeting with a representative of Triodos Bank, Fossil Free Wageningen has become convinced that it is possible to make the transition to this sustainable bank. Wageningen University & Research now has the opportunity to be a frontrunner on truly all aspects of sustainability and to become the leading institution on sustainability that it aims to be. To embody our underlying values for sustainable development, we need all hands and heads. Together, we can make this transition towards a carbon neutral society. Therefore, we, Fossil Free Wageningen, and the following students, alumni, staff members, teachers, and professors, ask Wageningen University & Research to bring this university a step closer to being a fossil free university by committing to switching to a truly sustainable bank. References: [1] http://climate.nasa.gov/ [2] http://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/news/20160719/ [3] http://ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar5/syr/AR5_SYR_FINAL_SPM.pdf [4] http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2015/cop21/eng/l09.pdf [5] http://priceofoil.org/2016/09/22/the-skys-limit-report/ [6] http://www.wur.nl/en/About-Wageningen/Scientific-prominence-Wageningen-University-Research.htm [7] http://www.studentenvoormorgen.nl/uitslag-2016/ [8] http://www.wur.nl/en/About-Wageningen/Sustainability.htm [9] http://eerlijkegeldwijzer.nl/bankwijzer/ [10] http://eerlijkegeldwijzer.nl/media/60922/2015-11-praktijkonderzoek-undermining-our-future.pdf [11] https://www.triodos.com/en/investment-management/impact-investment/our-sectors/energy-and-climate/ [12] https://www.triodos.com/en/about-triodos-bank/who-we-are/mission-principles/what-we-stand-for/

  1,100 of 2,000 Signatures

  Created by Emiel Spanier
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  UiB ut av fossil energi - NÅ

  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 endringer i natur og økosystem 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. 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. Skal vi holde oss innenfor togradersmålet må vi derfor kutte kraftig allerede nå, og utslippene må gå ned med omtrent fem prosent i året. OECD skriver i en ny rapport at vi må kutte radikalt nå, og fullstendig stanse utslipp innen 2050. Norge har vært heldige til nå, men vi ser at vår velferd er basert på utnyttelse av ressurser og menneskeliv i andre deler av verden. Samtidig som vi har tilgang på enorme energiressurser fra fornybar energi, utvinner vi olje og gass i et tempo som verken gagner oss eller verden i det lange løp. Å kutte i produksjonen handler ikke om at vi skal stanse oljeproduksjonen over natten, men krever at vi umiddelbart må begynne en omstilling til et fossilfritt samfunn. Universiteter og andre offentlige forskingsinstitusjoner har en enormt viktig rolle som premissleverandører for en slik omstilling. I følge de etiske retningslinjene for naturvitenskap og teknologi skal forskning være i overenstemmelse med menneskerettighetene, en bærekraftig utvikling og respekt for miljøet. I tillegg skal føre var-prinsippet anvendes der det er ”plausibel, men usikker kunnskap om en teknologisk anvendelse eller utvikling av et forskningsfelt kan føre til etisk uakseptable konsekvenser for helse, samfunn eller miljø”. Gitt tallene og scenariene fra FN, er det grunn til å stille spørsmål ved etikken rundt fortsatt forskning på teknologi som fører til mer utvinning og utslipp fra fossil energi. Universitetet i Bergen samarbeider med næringsliv på en rekke områder. Tette bånd til næringslivet har vært og er samfunnsnyttig på flere områder, men samarbeidspartnere må velges med omhu. UiB har i lang tid hatt en samarbeidsavtale med Statoil gjennom Akademia-avtalen. Avtalen står i kraft til 2018, men det sannsynlig at den vil bli forlenget forbi dette tidspunktet. For øyeblikket diskuteres det hvordan en forlenget avtale vil se ut. Dette er problematisk da samarbeidet forutsetter forskning som kan bidra til økt utvinning og en forlengelse av fossilalderen. Universitetet binder seg dessuten til positiv omtale av resultatene fra forskingen under avtalen, og setter dermed institusjonens uavhengighet i fare.

  981 of 1,000 Signatures

  Created by Ragnhild Dale
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  Aalto University: Get Our Money Out of Fossil Fuels!

  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. [3][4][5][6] 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. [3] 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. [7][8] 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. Divestointi lähettäisi vahvan signaalin niin yliopiston henkilökunnalle kuin nykyisille ja tuleville opiskelijoille, että yliopisto tukee kestävän yhteiskunnan syntymistä. Se olisi tapa olla yksi niistä yliopistoista, jotka ”uskaltavat rohkeasti tutkia ja kokeilla uutta.” Se myös tekisi Aalto-yliopiston investoinnit yliopiston vision mukaiseksi, joka ”sitouttaa meidät rakentamaan kestävälle kehitykselle perustuvaa […] yhteiskuntaa.” Aalto-yliopiston arvoja ovat ”rohkeus vaikuttaa”, ”vapaus olla luova ja kriittinen”, ”vastuu”, ja ”eettisyys”. [2] Lisäksi ”Aalto-yliopisto on sitoutunut noudattamaan vastuullisen sijoittamisen periaatteita.” [9] Aallolla on sijoituksia 900 miljoonan euron arvosta ja se, että osa investoinneista on fossiilisten polttoaineiden tuotannossa, on täysin yliopiston sitoumusten vastaista. 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][5] Scientists agree that global warming caused by humans burning fossil fuels will continue to accelerate and intensify tragic climate disasters [3]. As this threat rises, the term carbon bubble was created 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 [6][7][8]. Aalto University should take the lead in confronting climate change by promoting sustainable and financially sound asset management practises. 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. It would be a way for Aalto University to be part of the “Successful universities [...] who dare to explore and experiment in new, creatives ways”. It will also fully align the investment practices with the principles of Aalto University, which “carries a strong commitment to building a sustainable society" and which values include " Courage to influence”, “Freedom to be creative and critical”, “Responsibility”, and "Integrity".[2] “Aalto University is committed to complying with the principles for responsible investment.” [9] Aalto has over 900 million euros to invest [10], and the fact that part of it is invested in fossil fuel industry is in total contradiction with this commitment! [1] http://gofossilfree.org/companies/ [2]http://www.aalto.fi/en/midcom-serveattachmentguid-1e5ffcbea81c566ffcb11e5957e815724da913a913a/aalto-yliopisto_strategy_english.pdf [3] http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar5/wg1/WGIAR5_SPM_brochure_en.pdf [4] http://carbontracker.live.kiln.it/index.html?CMP=twt_gu [5] http://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus [6] http://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/carbon-dioxide/ [7] http://gofossilfree.org/endorsements/ [8] http://www.carbontracker.org/report/carbon-bubble/ [9]http://www.aalto.fi/en/midcom-serveattachmentguid-1e5f0e46065260cf0e411e58c514bbedbeb29782978/aalto_university_annual_report_2015_final.pdf [10]http://www.aalto.fi/en/current/news/2016-02-05/

  183 of 200 Signatures

  Created by Maja Ilievska
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  UvA - Time to Cut the Ties with Deutsche Bank!

  The University of Amsterdam wants to be a sustainable University yet they still bank with Deutsche Bank. The University is deciding on their sustainable plans for the upcoming years and ethical banking should be included in this. Deutsche Bank is one of the world’s largest financiers of the coal industry and thus undermining climate finance. Given the commitments made by 195 nations in the Paris agreements to lower greenhouse gas emissions and pursue efforts to limit the global average temperature from rising more than 1.5°C, it is clear that business as usual in financing fossil fuel energy must radically shift. Universities play a significant role in public support for the fossil industry. Given the University of Amsterdam's it is time to clean up their wallet and either urge Deutsche Bank to cut the ties with the fossil industry or move their money away from Deutsche altogether. We invite students, student organizations, employees and teachers to come by and 'cut the ties' between the University of Amsterdam, their bank and the fossil industry on . And sign the petition!

  238 of 300 Signatures

  Created by Lena Hartog
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  Fossil Free Leiden University

  Wij, studenten van de oudste universiteit van Nederland, vinden dat het tijd wordt om naar de toekomst te kijken en te denken aan de generaties studenten die nog komen. Om die reden roepen wij de Universiteit Leiden dan ook op om te desinvesteren en zo samen met andere aangesloten instellingen een klimaatcrisis te voorkomen. Ons team kan altijd extra enthousiastelingen gebruiken, we horen dan ook graag van je via een van onze sociale media! At this point in time, we - mankind - have the opportunity to act and stop a climate crisis from happening. Divestment from fossil fuels is a big step in this process. Leiden University, one of the most prestigious universities and the oldest university in the Netherlands, should join this campaign to show that they are not only educating tomorrow's generation but that they are also concerned about the world in which that generation - and many to follow - will live. In doing this Leiden University can show that they take sustainability serious and show society that they are willing to step up and together with others prevent a climate crisis from happening.

  464 of 500 Signatures

  Created by Bente Klein
• CUNY Brooklyn College: Go Fossil Free!

  Climate change is accelerating. We are witnessing the increasing impacts of a warming planet more and more consistently; in this 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. Hurricane Sandy alone caused $50bn in damages. 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 half of global fossil-fuel reserves without dangerously warming the planet for several thousand years. As public pressure to confront climate change builds, we call on CUNY Brooklyn College to immediately freeze any new investment 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 CUNY Brooklyn College will not only be a sound decision for our institution’s financial portfolio, but also for the wellbeing of its current and future graduating classes, who deserve the opportunity to graduate with a future not defined by climate chaos.

  29 of 100 Signatures

  Created by Jacklyn Cheung
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  Divest the Hebrew University from Fossil Fuels

  We need to take responsability on the future of our life in this country (Israel) and on this planet. We cannot continue with the current energy policy and use fossil fuels as if there's no climate change and there's no limits of use of this resource. We must divest, not only for the future but also for the present. People all over the world and also here, in Israel, are damaged severely by the pollution that is caused by the methods of energy production from fossil fuels. The Hebrew Uni. claims to be the leading University in Israel, it is time for the University to take a stand and join the movement.

  4 of 100 Signatures

  Created by Green Course Hebrew University
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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!

  1,711 of 2,000 Signatures

  Created by Fanny Sannerud
• University of British Columbia: Go Fossil Free!

  Climate change is accelerating. We are witnessing the increasing impacts of a warming planet more and more consistently; in this 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. Hurricane Sandy alone caused $50bn in damages. 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 half of global fossil-fuel reserves without dangerously warming the planet for several thousand years. As public pressure to confront climate change builds, we call on the University of British Columbia to immediately freeze any new investment 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 the University of British Columbia will not only be a sound decision for our institution's financial portfolio, but also for the wellbeing of its current and future graduating classes, who deserve the opportunity to graduate with a future not defined by climate chaos.

  104 of 200 Signatures

  Created by Gordon Katic
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  Divest Butte Community College of Fossil Fuels

  Climate change is accelerating. We are witnessing the increasing impacts of a warming planet more and more consistently; in this 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. Hurricane Sandy alone caused $50 billion in damages. 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 half of global fossil-fuel reserves without dangerously warming the planet for several thousand years.

  43 of 100 Signatures

  Created by Robert Vanherwyn