{"id":7018,"date":"2015-02-27T10:09:34","date_gmt":"2015-02-27T10:09:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gofossilfree.org\/usa\/february-divest-digest-the-global-divestment-day-edition\/"},"modified":"2015-02-27T18:25:23","modified_gmt":"2015-02-27T18:25:23","slug":"february-divest-digest-the-global-divestment-day-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gofossilfree.org\/usa\/february-divest-digest-the-global-divestment-day-edition\/","title":{"rendered":"February Divest Digest: the Global Divestment Day edition"},"content":{"rendered":"

February was a *huge* month for the divestment movement — and even that might be a bit of an understatement. Our movement went truly global this month, with over 450 events in 60 countries for Global Divestment Day. From the Pacific Islands to South Africa, from the United States to Germany, check out\u00a0some of what happened on the Global Divestment Day wrap-up page<\/a> and check out the celebration web workshop here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"It also\u00a0became clear that the fossil fuel industry is getting mighty nervous.<\/p>\n

Even oil giants like\u00a0Shell have been forced to look at whether or not their business plans are compatible with the global goal of limiting warming to below 2\u00b0C — hint: they\u2019re not– and the industry is pushing back more and more every day (albeit clumsily). See their silly PR counter-campaign<\/a> attempting to smear the divestment movement.<\/p>\n

And THEN\u00a0the world\u2019s biggest PR firm dumped the American oil lobby. The fossil fuel industry’s brand is just getting dirtier and dirtier. #sorrynotsorry<\/p>\n

Earlier this month major political parties in the UK — the birthplace of the coal-powered industrial revolution — also signed an historic pledge to totally phase out unabated coal. And on top of that, just this week,\u00a0President Obama vetoed the Keystone XL pipeline<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Fossil fuels are on their way out, and the industry knows it.<\/strong> Now, it\u2019s up to us to keep the pressure on.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But first, let\u2019s take a few moments to celebrate some of the incredible wins we\u2019ve had this month:<\/p>\n

5 GLOBAL CAMPUS UPDATES<\/strong><\/h5>\n

USA: The New School goes big<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is one for the divestment history books, friends. The New School will be permanently severing its $220 million endowment from dirty fossil fuel investments, making it the second largest university in the world so far to take that step. Not only that, but they\u2019re going even further with a broader plan of action for sustainability. Read more here.<\/a><\/p>\n\"\"\n

Australia: USYD should Divest the Rest<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/b>Fossil Free USYD welcomed the University of Sydney\u2019s decision<\/a> to reduce the carbon intensity of its investments by 20% over 3 years, but renewed its calls for Australia’s oldest University to divest from all fossil fuels.<\/p>\n\"USYD<\/a>\n

USA: Brevard College leads the way in the SE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Big\u00a0win in the Southeast US, folks! On Friday, February 20th, Brevard’s Board of Trustees voted to divest by 2018, becoming the first academic institution in the Southeast to do so. Read more here.<\/a><\/p>\n\"\"\n

USA: Harvard Heat Week launches as part of Spring escalation<\/strong><\/p>\n

What do Natalie Portman, Dr. Cornel West, Robert F. Kennedy Jr and a Nobel Peace Prize winner have in common? They\u2019re all Harvard alumni who are joining hundreds of faculty and students to turn up the heat until the university divests. There will be a week of escalated action in Cambridge this April — check it out here<\/a>. The\u00a0announcement\u00a0comes right on the heels of a sit-in at the President’s office as part of Global Divestment Day and is part of a broader campus movement to turn it up a notch for campus\u00a0campaigns this spring — watch the call to action<\/a>.<\/p>\n\"\"\n

Sweden:\u00a0 Chalmers University of Technology is first Swedish university to divest
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chalmers University of Technology has long been a leading university when it comes to sustainability \u2013 and now they\u2019ve really stepped up to the mark by selling their assets in fossil fuels worth almost 5 million SEK<\/a>.<\/p>\n

With this first university win, the Swedish divestment movement is gaining momentum rapidly and making an impact on the climate response from its universities. J\u00f6nk\u00f6ping University also recently made changes to their investment policy<\/a>,<\/p>\n

5 GLOBAL COMMUNITY UPDATES<\/h5>\n

Norway: World\u2019s richest sovereign wealth fund divests<\/strong><\/p>\n

In terms of cold hard cash, this is the biggest divestment decision to-date. The Norwegian Sovereign Wealth (oil) Fund ($850 bn) divested from a total of 22 coal and tar sands companies. This is a landmark\u00a0win. Read more here.<\/a><\/p>\n\"\"\n

Australia: Divestment gets HOT<\/strong><\/p>\n

Australia\u2019s institutions are taking a line from Snoop Dogg to heart — drop (those fossil fuel investments) like it\u2019s hot! Australia\u2019s been making\u2019 waves this month, following an intense period of bushfires. From Perth and the Shire of Goomalling divesting, to Bob Massie\u2019s tour envisioning the post-fossil fuel era, to ANU\u2019s Commonwealth Bank closing during student protests, to the Australian Guild of Screen Composers divestment commitment this week —\u00a0Australia\u2019s divestment movement is *really* heating up. Follow Australia\u2019s Fossil Free campaigns here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\"\"\n

UK: Bristol becomes 2nd UK city to go Fossil Free
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is a major win for the up and coming Fossil Free Bristol Divestment Campaign launched only recently, and it marks the culmination of exponential growth in the Fossil Free UK movement. Read more here.<\/a><\/p>\n\"\"\n

USA: Fossil Free California launches<\/strong><\/p>\n

The new Fossil Free\u00a0California campaign wants the state to become the first in the U.S. to divest from fossil fuels, and they\u2019re asking its two largest pension funds, CalPERS and CalSTRS to ditch those fossil fuel investments quick. Fossil Free California launched their new campaign in Sacramento for Global Divestment Day! Find out more here<\/a>\u00a0and check out the video from the launch below:<\/p>\n