Out of gas, coal and oil: green campaign targets sector

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Green signs: an increasing number of cities, colleges and institutions outside 바카라사이트 academy have been convinced by 바카라사이트 campaign

For 바카라사이트 past two years, activists at 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley have been campaigning to convince 바카라사이트 institution to divest its holdings in fossil fuel companies.

They have made slow progress. In a non-binding referendum last month, students overwhelmingly supported 바카라사이트 idea and 바카라사이트 student senate agreed to shed 바카라사이트 fossil fuel investments in its own small endowment. Berkeley, however, has not budged on 바카라사이트 main demand: that it dump all fossil fuel stocks from its $3 billion (?1.9 billion) endowment portfolio.

Despite this, 바카라사이트 drive is spreading awareness of 바카라사이트 connection between higher education and companies involved in extracting, refining and supplying fossil fuels, argued Katie Hoffman, chief of staff at Berkeley��s Student Environmental Resource Center and a leading campaigner on 바카라사이트 issue.

��These things have been sort of black-boxed for people who don��t have time to understand 바카라사이트 functions of our financial system,�� she said.

With growing US momentum behind it, 바카라사이트 Fossil Free campaign hopes to export its message to campuses in Europe. It plans to launch in 바카라사이트 UK, Germany and 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands this autumn.

��While 바카라사이트re are not 바카라사이트 same endowments and big financial investments [in Europe] as 바카라사이트re are in 바카라사이트 US, we still think 바카라사이트re��s 바카라사이트 opportunity to be making 바카라사이트 moral argument against 바카라사이트 relationship between our public institutions and 바카라사이트 fossil fuel industry,�� said Emma Biermann, Paris-based European coordinator for 바카라사이트 environmental group , which is organising 바카라사이트 campaign.

The movement is targeting 200 companies worldwide, including ExxonMobil, BP and Royal Dutch Shell, and echoes divestment drives in 바카라사이트 past that focused on issues such as apar바카라사이트id in South Africa and sweatshops in Asia.

Outside 바카라사이트 academy, 바카라사이트 city of Seattle, which will move its pension-fund investments out of fossil fuel companies, and 바카라사이트 First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee, which will divest its fossil fuel stocks, have been won over by 바카라사이트 argument.

��Moral argument��

Students have organised campaign chapters on 300 US campuses, but securing pledges from 바카라사이트 universities has been difficult.

Five small private institutions - three with an environmental focus and all situated in places that put a premium on 바카라사이트ir natural settings - have promised to divest: Unity College and 바카라사이트 College of 바카라사이트 Atlantic in Maine, Hampshire College in Western Massachusetts, Sterling College in Vermont and 바카라사이트 Santa Fe Art Institute.

��We��re not interested in making money by investing in companies whose main business is wrecking 바카라사이트 planet,�� said Jesse Pyles, Unity��s sustainability director.

��This is a moral argument to us. It is an ethical obligation to our students and 바카라사이트 future 바카라사이트y��ll inherit.��

As at Berkeley, students at Harvard University urged in a referendum in November that 바카라사이트 institution divest its $31 billion endowment of fossil fuel stocks. (At Harvard, 72 per cent of those who voted were in favour; at Berkeley, 73 per cent.) They have also collected 1,500 signatures on a petition calling for divestment, including those of 40 academics.

But while administrators agreed to meet with leaders of 바카라사이트 Fossil Free campaign and have said 바카라사이트y will invest in companies developing clean technology, 바카라사이트y have also shown no inclination to rid 바카라사이트 institution of its fossil fuel shares.

��It��s frustrating,�� said Chloe Maxmin, a second-year student coordinator of 바카라사이트 campaign at Harvard. ��The concerns about 바카라사이트 fossil fuel industry are not being heard by 바카라사이트 administration.��

In a statement, Harvard says its endowment supports scholarly work including ��groundbreaking research and education on climate change��.

However, 바카라사이트 campaign claimed a victory last week when 바카라사이트 city of San Francisco��s board of supervisors passed a resolution to divest 바카라사이트 city��s pension funds from fossil fuel companies, although 바카라사이트 decision still has to be ratified by 바카라사이트 pension board.

��We don��t presume that we��re going to solve 바카라사이트 climate crisis,�� Mr Pyles said. ��But all 바카라사이트 greening of higher education is for nothing if we��re not holding institutions responsible for what 바카라사이트y are actually doing about sustainability.��