Nearby Petitions

Colleges & Universities

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  Divest UNSW from Fossil Fuels

  The fossil fuel industry has five times the amount coal, oil and gas needed to push our climate past the two degrees of warming that the world's governments have agreed to as the precipice. Financially, continued investment in companies that extract fossil fuels represents a significant risk to UNSW as these companies will face large devaluations when the world moves to lower emission energy sources. The fossil fuel industry is also known to support campaigns designed to discredit climate science as well as delay action on a shift to renewable energy and address anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. As a public leader in these fields it is embarrassing that we continue to support these activities. UNSW already leads the way in encouraging and enabling a sustainable future for our society through research and education. A commitment to divest from fossil fuels is an effective way for UNSW to show further leadership. This move would lower the university’s financial risk while also generating positive publicity and increasing support for The University of New South Wales.

  635 of 800 Signatures

  Created by Environment UNSW SRC
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  KU Leuven Fossil Free

  {ENGLISH BELOW} Onze klimaattoekomst hangt af van een eenvoudige keuze. Ontginnen we alle gekende steenkool-, olie- en gasvoorraden ter wereld, dan blazen we genoeg CO2 de lucht in om onze planeet meerdere keren te laten overkoken. Laten we de meerderheid van die fossiele brandstoffen in de grond, dan maken we een goede kans om een leefbaar klimaat te behouden. Nu nog nieuwe steenkoolmijnen, olie- of gasvelden aansnijden is dus absolute waanzin wetende dat zelfs nu al mensen wereldwijd de gevolgen van klimaatverandering ondervinden. Sterker nog, als we de gevaarlijke grens van 1.5° opwarming niet willen overschrijden, zoals afgesproken in het wereldwijde Klimaatakkoord van Parijs, dan moeten zelfs fossiele mijnen en velden die nu actief zijn, vroegtijdig sluiten. Steeds meer universiteiten, stadsbesturen en pensioenfondsen van over de hele wereld investeren daarom niet langer in fossiele brandstofbedrijven. Daarmee nemen ze zowel een ethisch als economisch standpunt in en tonen ze zich voortrekker in de strijd voor een eerlijkere, gezondere en duurzamere samenleving. Onze KU Leuven kan haar rol als wetenschappelijke en maatschappelijke voortrekker daarbij niet ontkennen. Wij vragen nu dus dat onze universiteit zich ook aansluit bij die internationale Fossil Fuel Divestment beweging en haar bestaande fossiele beleggingen stopt. Fossiele brandstoffen horen in de grond! ENGLISH Our common climate future depends on a simple choice. If we dig up all known global coal, oil and gas reserves, we’ll blow enough CO2 into the atmosphere to boil the planet multiple times. If we choose to keep the majority of fossil fuels in the ground, we have a good shot at preserving a gentle climate. Opening up new coal mines, oil or gas fields at this stage is completely insane, knowing that people all over the world are already suffering from the consequences of climate change. Even more, if we want to keep the limit of a world only 1.5 degrees Celsius hotter than in pre-industrial times in sight, as we globally agreed upon in the Paris Agreement, then fossil fuel mines and fields that are actively in use nowadays will have to close down earlier than planned. More and more universities, city councils and pension funds worldwide have stopped investing in fossil fuel companies. They are taking an ethical and economical stance and prove to be leaders in fighting for a more equal, healthy and sustainable society. Our KU Leuven cannot deny its role in this debate as a scientific and civil pioneer. We ask our university to join the international Fossil Fuel Divestment movement and to put an end to its existing fossil investments. Together we keep fossil fuels in the ground!

  2,247 of 3,000 Signatures

  Created by Gert-Jan Vanaken
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  University of Liverpool: Divest from Fossil Fuels

  This is important because the University of Liverpool currently invests £12 million per year in the fossil fuel industry, which is 8% of their endowment. The time to reduce fossil fuel consumption is running out, and by not divesting, the University appears to be endorsing the actions of the fossil industry, and thereby failing to act on the issue of human-induced climate change. Climate change negatively affects the poorest most, and by not divesting from fossil fuels the University shows a callous disregard for the poorest populations and most vulnerable. The university is home to a leading institute for renewable energy research, yet they cannot actively be a world leader in green energy whilst funding the most polluting industry on earth. The students of this University clearly care about the environment and have created a movement within their Guild of Students to help implement a greener University (Green Guild). If this University wishes to abide by the active will of the student body, they will divest from this morally corrupt and ethically questionable industry without delay.

  199 of 200 Signatures

  Created by Joe Ferguson
• University of California - San Diego: 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 University of California - San Diego 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 University of California - San Diego 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.

  101 of 200 Signatures

  Created by Allison Yee
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  Divest University of Scranton From Fossil Fuels

  As a Jesuit University, the University of Scranton knows the importance of taking care of the Earth. The University teaches about taking care of God's planet and this offers them an opportunity to live by example. Until the University divests from fossil fuels and invests in "greener" options, it is not putting actions behind its values and teaching. 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.

  198 of 200 Signatures

  Created by Megan Schane
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  Fossil Free Liverpool University

  Climate Change is an issue which will disrupt our entire planet's weather and ecosystems if we allow it to happen. The effects on society will be drastic and chaotic leading to increased disease, famine, poverty, migration. We want our university be a bold leader in the fight against Climate Change and the transition to a sustainable and fairer society. The failure of the industry and global leaders over the past decades to enact meaningful change has forced the need for progressive action: divestment. The university is a leading researcher in areas of sustainable energy, environment, climate, health, food security and conflict. We want the university to have consistent values in its activities, that it will not endorse or profit from these highly unethical companies. The status quo isn't working and the transition to sustainability is inevitable so let us be bold, let us be positive, let us act on the right side of history and usher in a new better era. Divesting from these companies frees up capital to reinvest in our new technologies, industries and economies for a secure and sustainable future.

  301 of 400 Signatures

  Created by Fossil Free Liverpool University
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  UCL, DIVEST FROM FOSSIL FUELS

  Climate change has already caused millions to lose their lives and livelihoods after only one degree of global average warming [5]. ‘Business as usual’ scenarios see us facing up to six degrees of warming and hundreds of millions suffering. It’s time to take this problem on at its source: the fossil fuel companies. If it is wrong to wreck the climate, then it is wrong to profit from that wreckage. UCL cannot continue to use its funds from students, alumni, trusts and grant-making bodies to fund fossil fuel companies through its portfolio of investments. UCL's academics show a strong consensus on the effects of climate change, taking it into account in their research and making constructive proposals for how we can respond to and overcome it as a society. UCL is giving money to further this positive research yet chooses to invest in the fossil fuel industry, the root cause of climate change. This shows massive disrespect to their own staff, to the future of their students, and to all those around the world suffering the effects of climate change but also from the human right violations carried out by fossil fuel companies. With 1/4 of UK universities now having divested, 16 of which in the last year, UCL is losing its chance to lead the way towards a more sustainable world, proving that management prioritises profit over the protection of the environment, the future generations and the voice of thousands of students and academic staff who support divestment. In the ultimatum letter we sent to management in November 2016 we received more than 100 signatures from academic staff who support divestment [6]. How long will management keep disregarding the views of its student body and staff? One of the few counter-arguments management has presented is that they are scared divestment would negatively affect UCL's engineering department. However there is no evidence that by divesting UCL will risk its sponsorship from fossil fuel companies and jeopardise the ties the Engineering department have with them. All other universities who have divested still maintain links with the companies with no effect on their students future relations with these companies whatsoever. It is therefore high time we DEMOCRATISED our university and TAKE ACTION to prevent further planetary degradation. We as students, academics and above all citizens, have the power to change the world. References: [1] http://www.ucl.ac.uk/white-paper/mission [2] UCL Investment Portfolio, December 2012. [3] http://www.carbontracker.org/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2012/08/Unburnable-Carbon-Full1.pdf, p.13-14. [4] UCL Ethical Investment Policy, http://www.ucl.ac.uk/finance/finance_docs/investment_policy.htm [5] DARA, Climate Vulnerability Number 2010 http://daraint.org/climate-vulnerability-monitor/climate-vulnerability-monitor-2010/ [6] Open Letter to UCL Management http://fossilfreeucl.tumblr.com/openletter

  3,568 of 4,000 Signatures

  Created by Natasha Gorodnitski
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  Divest Ulster University from Fossil Fuels

  The Students’ Union recently received a response to their freedom of information request Ulster University on their investment portfolio. We had inquired as to Ulster University’s direct investments through Innovation Ulster and those made indirectly through it’s Endowment Fund. It was found that the University invests its Endowment Fund through the Rathbones Active Income and Growth Fund. Without taking into consideration the fund’s direct investments, and bearing in mind that the total amount of money Rathbones are managing for the University is over £7 million, it has invested approximately £80,000 in fossil fuel companies such as Dutch Shell and BP. Furthermore, the University also have significant investments in the tobacco industry (Over £26,000) and most worryingly in the arms industry (£13,000). In this current climate we believe this money should be invested into student facilities and more sustainable alternatives.

  5 of 100 Signatures

  Created by Campaigns Officer
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  Divest Appalachian

  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.

  2 of 100 Signatures

  Created by Dustin Hicks
• University of Illinois at Chicago: 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 University of Illinois at Chicago 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 University of Illinois at Chicago 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.

  52 of 100 Signatures

  Created by Emily Church