29 March, 2016
At Ben & Jerry’s we believe that our future will look a whole lot brighter if we switch to 100% renewable energy… but we can only do this if we take part in the Divestment Movement and keep our fossil fuels in the ground!
So What Is The Divestment Movement?
Divestment, put simply, is the opposite of investment - and a divestment movement is when people ask institutions and schemes, such as pension funds, to divest money away from particular sectors towards more socially responsible ones. It’s worth noting that a divestment movement can target anything; from the tobacco industry to the apartheid in South Africa… a pretty powerful movement if you ask us! Currently, the fastest growing divestment campaign (in history!) demands a fossil free future. Striving to divest money from oil, gas and coal companies, it aims to end the use of fossil fuels and to reduce carbon emissions once and for all.
Why Is It So Important?
We all know by now, that in order to stop global warming it’s crucial we keep the majority of our fossil fuels in the ground. If we continue to rely on fossil fuels for our primary source of energy, we're in serious danger of irreversibly changing our world as we know it - floods, droughts, disease and conflict will become ever more common...
...and following the goals set for climate change by global leaders at last year’s COP21, there’s no time like the present for investors to be looking for cleaner alternatives to fossil fuel
Who Is Involved?
Institutions and individuals representing more than 50 billion dollars in assets have now pledged to divest their investments in fossil fuels... and, from the World Council of Churches to several cities, and the largest sovereign wealth fund in the world, institutions from a whole load of sectors are jumping on board with the movement and committing to divest.
Also, it’s not just the corporate-types interested in this revolutionary movement… enthusiasm from students has been outstanding, with a whole host of Universities (including the University of Glasgow) having already signed up... and let’s not forget our very own Ben & Jerry’s Foundation over in the states, which has already committed to ensure that none of its investments lie in dirty fossil fuel stocks!
All in all, this an awesome step in the right direction! Let’s strive to all show our planet some love and keep fossil fuels in the ground!