After seven days at least 40 students are still a central management building in protest at Edinburgh University’s last week that it would not divest its holdings in fossil fuel companies. The occupation was visited today by John Finnie MSP, member of the Scottish Greens, and Director of WWF Scotland Lang Banks.
A Pennsylvania high school just made history. George School in Newtown announced April 27 that it would divest its $150 million endowment of holdings in coal mining companies, likely becoming the first secondary school in the nation to join the global movement to rid investment portfolios of fossil fuel stocks.
Posted: 05/17/2015 12:01:00 AM MDT The University of Colorado, Ivy League Harvard University and small, elite Swarthmore College have at least one thing in common: a decision to hang on to their investments in fossil fuel companies. Meanwhile about 100 universities and foundations, including Stanford University and Syracuse University, have committed to divest all or part of their fossil fuel investments.
Five years ago Swarthmore Mountain Justice was formed by Swarthmore College students as a way to halt destructive climate change by advocating for the college’s board of managers to divest Swarthmore’s $1.9 billion endowment of fossil fuel funds.
Alumni came out strong for fossil fuel divestment during Alumni Weekend, and programming included a teach-in before the annual parade in front of Parrish on June 6, 2015.
Prof. Barbara Wien, the partner of a Swarthmore alum, provided these exciting videos showcasing the many alums carrying signs or wearing orange squares, who support divestment.
Today @swarthmore failed to step up to the plate, but this fight is far from over. http://bit.ly/1AuBas8 @SwarthMJ pic.twitter.com/sdcZQ5524r
The students @SwarthMJ have worked longer and harder than just about anyone in climate fight. The college board is a corporatist disgrace
— Bill McKibben (@billmckibben) May 2, 2015
The students @SwarthMJ have worked longer and harder than just about anyone in climate fight. The college board is a corporatist disgrace
"Over the past month, the @swarthmore community made it clear that #WhoseSide we are one, it is time for the Board to stand with us"
— Sunrise Pennsylvania (@PASunrise) April 20, 2015
“Over the past month, the @swarthmore community made it clear that #WhoseSide we are one, it is time for the Board to stand with us”
The fossil fuel divestment movement began at Swarthmore four years ago and has since spread to campuses and institutions around the world. On perhaps the most significant issue of our age, the need to slow climate change, Swarthmore students have established themselves as global leaders.