Hamilton Spectator Article: “An Exodus from Dirty Oil”
“According to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. “Canada has a unique role in the global economy with regard to fossil fuels. Some 80 per cent of the world’s oil reserves are held by state-owned companies; that is, countries who have made public ownership of this strategic asset a top priority. Of the remaining global oil reserves, two-thirds are found in Canada, making the country a top destination for private investments.”
Read the full story here: http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/4881969-an-exodus-from-dirty-oil-/
Fossil Fuel Divestment Hits $50 Billion
September 22 2014 — “Over 800 global investors have now committed to divest their holdings in fossil fuels. New signatories encompass a broad diversity of sectors and regions— including foundations, individuals, faith groups, health care organizations, cities and universities around the world. Their pledge was revealed at a news conference in New York today, and will be presented tomorrow at the United Nations Climate Summit where over 120 world leaders will gather.
Archbishop Tutu calls for an end to fossil fuel dependence
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has called on delegates attending next week’s United Nations Climate Summit in New York to take the first tangible steps to move humanity beyond the fossil fuel era.
“We are on the cusp of a global transition to a new safe energy economy, a transition that unites people in common purpose, advances collective wellbeing and ensures the survival of our species,” he said.
In a video statement posted on the website of the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation (www.tutu.org.za), the Archbishop describes the summit as a decisive moment in the struggle to maintain God’s earth – “a moment that demands unprecedented collective action”.
Noting that the most devastating effects of increasing global carbon emissions are visited on the poor, and that the climate crisis had become the global human rights challenge of our time, the Archbishop proposed a four-step agenda to free humanity of its dependence on coal, gas and oil.
(1) Freeze further exploration for new fossil sources, and use exploration budgets to develop renewable energy solutions;
(2) Hold those responsible for climate damages accountable by making them pay for the damage they cause;
(3) Encourage governments to stop accepting funding from the fossil fuel industry, and;
(4) Divest from fossil fuel companies, and invest in a clean energy future that benefits the world’s majority.
“The United Nations deserves the highest kudos for its leadership over the past 30 years on crucial human rights and developmental issues,” Archbishop Tutu said.
But the UN could only be as powerful as its constituent parts – nations and people. Its capacity to take tangible action was entirely dependent on the will of individual governments and leaders who felt genuinely torn between short-term economic and political pressures, and long-term survival.
“We can no longer tinker about the edges. We can no longer continue feeding our addiction to fossil fuels as if there is no tomorrow. For there will be no tomorrow…
“My prayer is that humankind takes its first tangible steps in New York, in September 2014, to move beyond the Fossil Fuel Era. It is a matter of conscience, a matter of faith, and indeed, a matter of our continued existence,” Archbishop Tutu said.
Ends…
Issued for the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation by Oryx Media.
To view the full statement visit www.tutu.org.za, or follow the Tutu Legacy Foundation on Twitter (@TutuLegacy)
New Canadian Resource: “The Climate Has Changed”
A new report (July 2014) from Canada’s Responsible Investment Association on the potential and challenges of fossil fuel free portfolios for Canadian investors.
Click below to download the report as a PDF:
http://riacanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/The-Climate-has-Changed-v2.pdf
Sept 30 Calgary Event: Phasing Out Coal: A Healthy Decision
“The majority of Alberta’s electricity is generated by coal fired plants (Alberta Energy, 2012). The research is now clear that burning coal comes with substantial human health costs. In Alberta alone coal contributes to over 100 fatalities and more than 4,000 asthma symptom days every year (Alberta study here). What are the impacts of coal on human health? How can Alberta include health issues related to burning coal in its energy strategy?”
Join this University of Calgary conference, featuring keynote speaker Dr Alan Lockwood, M.D. FAAN, Emeritus Professor of Neurology at the University at Buffalo.
Alan H. Lockwood, M.D. is an Emeritus Professor of Neurology at the University at Buffalo. He is a graduate of Cornell University and Cornell University Medical College (now known as the Weill Cornell Medical College) and was trained in Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco. He is board certified in Neurology and is a Fellow of both the American Neurological Association and the American Academy of Neurology. He is the author of approximately 220 publications on diverse scientific topics ranging from hepatic encephalopathy and medical problems of musicians to functional imaging of the auditory system, tinnitus and environmental toxicants. He has been a member of Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) for three decades and was President of PSR National in 1994, is currently a member of the Board of Directors and Co-Chair of the Environment and Health Committee. His book, The Silent Epidemic: Coal and the Hidden Threat to Health, was published by the MIT Press in September 2012. A second book on health effects of global warming is forthcoming.
When: September, 30 2014
Where: University of Calgary Main Campus, Room: TBD
Registration: Not open yet, check back here for more information
Sept 24 Toronto Event: Do green investments ever make money?
A key question for faith-based trustees…
“If you think the only bottom line produced by sustainable energy is a social one, that’s just not true for many companies, and never was. Green energy can make money, for both early-stage and longer term investors.
Three of the most battle-scarred and successful green energy investors are in Toronto. So please join us at the next RamsayBreakfast to hear their CEOs offer different perspectives of the promise and pitfalls of the energy efficiency sector.”
Featuring: John Cook of Green Chip Financial, Tom Rand of ArcTern Ventures, & Christian Wray of JCM Capital
Cost: $35.00 + HST
Date: Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Food for Thought: 8:00 a.m. – 8:40 a.m.
Questions & Answers: 8:40 a.m.
Depart: 8:59 a.m.