On 16 March, as guests of our co-hosts from the International Labour Research and Information Group (ILRIG), we presented a talk on climate issues as they may pertain to the labour movement at Community House, Salt River, in the Imam Haron Hall. Our fundamental point was that for better or worse, even with the best …
Event summary: The climate crisis, the labour movement and fossil fuel divestment Read More »
UCT students protest in favour of fossil fuel divestment, 11 March 2022. Pic: James Granelli. Eight years after we first wrote to UCT asking for divestment, the university council decided on 12 March to divest. This was announced in the council minutes released on Friday, and News24 covered the story on Saturday; BusinessLive columnist Gray Maguire wrote about it today. This is obviously …
Following the September announcement by China’s Premier Xi Jinping that China would no longer finance new coal power abroad, we wondered about the implications of that announcement for the giant, very dirty 3GW coal-fired power plant proposed for the China-financed Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone. We wrote to the Chinese embassy asking for clarification. Somewhat to …
China cancels proposed 3GW coal plant in the Limpopo MM-SEZ Read More »
When we started working on building a fossil fuel divestment movement here in South Africa, the global pool of capital that had committed to removing fossil fuels was less than $200 million. Only a handful of institutions had made the commitment. In the letter to UCT that launched our campaign, we could point to only …
Global divestment commitments now span institutions worth nearly $40 trillion Read More »
Sasol recently set new targets for greenhouse gas emissions reductions, particularly, a 30% reduction by 2030 and “net zero” by 2050. Sasol is undoubtedly a pillar of the South Africa economy, one of the world’s most carbon-intensive, and we would like to be celebrating this apparent transformation. But these new targets are far from being …
Pic: UPRI chair Professor Tom Moultrie accepts a memorandum – calling for the university to divest – from UCT Green Campus Initiative students and Fossil Free UCT supporters, in May 2021 After eight long years of trying to persuade UCT to stop investments in fossil fuels, the University of Cape Town’s Panel on Responsible Investment (UPRI) …
UCT’s responsible investment panel (UPRI) recommends divestment Read More »
On Monday evening, we were hosted by Extinction Rebellion’s group in the Cape Town South Peninsula. It was the first time we’ve done an event in person since the beginning of the pandemic, and it was really refreshing to be speaking to people in person again (outside, in a beautiful garden, well-distanced). Our deep thanks …
The climate crisis: Four things South Africans can do right now Read More »
Letters to the new Council in support of divestment have now been sent by: two groups of UCT academics and students, centred on the faculty of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, and Climate Systems Analysis Group (CSAG) two schools: Bishops Global Issues Network Club, Westerford High Green Schools Initiative; four NGOs: 350 Africa, the African Climate …
Last week, we had a conversation amongst ourselves which went something like this: Q. Not urgent, but when you do have a moment I would really appreciate your thoughts on these articles: Why Climate Alarmism Hurts Us All There is no scientific basis for the claim that climate change will be apocalyptic, but there is …
Last Thursday, UCT’s Convocation, the body comprising all alumni and academic staff, passed a vote overwhelmingly in favour (40 votes in favour and 8 against) of our motion calling for divestment from fossil fuels, and amendment calling for UCT to lead a coalition for divestment in South Africa. Convocation is, in theory, a body comprised …
UCT’s Convocation votes strongly in favour of fossil fuel divestment – again Read More »
