#RiseforClimate: 900+ actions on 7 continents
On 7 continents, in 95 countries, with 900+ actions, people worldwide demanded real climate action from their local leaders.
Museums are key institutions where people learn about science and the natural world. They understand the urgent threat of climate change — so why invest in the fossil fuel industry that’s putting us on a crash course? (Read more ↓)
The Code of Ethics for Museums states: “It is incumbent on museums to be resources for humankind and in all their activities to foster an informed appreciation of the rich and diverse world we have inherited. It is also incumbent upon them to preserve that inheritance for posterity.”
More than 500 universities, churches, cities, and other institutions around the world representing more than $3.4 trillion in assets have already committed to some level of divestment. As purveyors of information about science and the natural world, it’s time for museums to stand up.
Right now, the fossil fuel industry faces an existential crisis. Every country in the world has now agreed to tackle the issue of climate change, historically low prices have sent the industry into a financial tailspin, and two consecutive years of record global temperatures have galvanized support for climate action. There has never been a better moment to divest.
If our country’s most iconic museums divest, we can trigger a new wave of institutions to send the message: the age of fossil fuels is over. We need a transition that’s both rapid and just — and we need it now.
Museums can help show that the fossil fuel industry has no social license left: the world is through with their pollution, their corruption, and their greed.
The world is evolving beyond fossil fuels. We can’t leave our museums behind.
On 7 continents, in 95 countries, with 900+ actions, people worldwide demanded real climate action from their local leaders.
David Koch’s departure from the board of the American Museum of Natural History is a is a victory for the scientists, climate activists, and museum professionals who have been calling for museums to break ties with fossil fuel interests.
The momentum grows. In recent weeks, 5 science museums have divested, canceled fossil fuel sponsorships, or implemented gifts policies refusing fossil fuel funds.