Lifeline:
FOSSIL FUEL DIVESTMENT
Divestment from fossil fuels is crucial to combat climate change by bringing economic pressure on Big Oil & Gas and encouraging investors to align with a just transition to renewable energy.
Why Fossil Fuel Divestment is Needed
The extraction and burning of fossil fuels is the primary cause of climate change, leading to rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and ecological disruptions. Global CO2 emissions reached a record high in 2022 of 36.6 billion tons.
According to the IPCC, if there’s no significant action to reduce emissions, the world will exceed the remaining carbon budget for 1.5°C (50%). Fossil fuel companies wield immense power, hindering renewable energy adoption and endangering human health and biodiversity. As communities around the world face climate whiplash, fossil fuel companies bargain with our lives and livelihoods in the name of profit. The IPCC urgently warns that “there is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all,” with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres stating, “new funding for fossil fuel exploration and production infrastructure is delusional.” Divesting can accelerate the global transition to clean energy and sustainable practices.
The Goal: Divest From Fossil Fuels
The goal is to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels by encouraging institutions to divest from fossil fuel holdings. This will help reduce the financial support for the fossil fuel industry and foster investment in renewable energy.
Data
The Global Fossil Fuel Divestment Commitments Database — originated in 2012 by 350.org; now managed by Stand.earth — showcases the incredible success of the fossil fuel divestment movement, with 1591 institutions representing over $40.76 trillion in assets committed to divest. The database is updated every time a new commitment is made public.
Photo: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Climate Emergency Day 2024. Taken by Jane Doe.
How to Use This Lifeline:
Use this Lifeline to celebrate the already impressive achievements of the divestment movement, urge more institutions to divest their holdings from fossil fuels and invest in renewable energy and other climate-safe solutions towards a just transition. Use this social media toolkit to spread the word.
VIEW LIFELINES
Renewable Energy
Tracking the percent of global energy coming from renewable sources – wind, water, solar, and bioenergy. It currently stands at 13.5% and is rising, but extremely slowly.
Indigenous Land Sovereignty
Displays the total area of land and inland waters currently managed by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) worldwide.
Climate Finance
Tracks the climate debt owed by wealthy, high-emitting G20 countries for the impacts their carbon emissions have caused, especially to those in "developing" countries.