News
This is the news home of Fossil Free SA, the campaign for fossil fuel divestment and sustainable reinvestment. Below you’ll find our latest newsletters (hosted on Substack) and blog posts.
Our latest newsletters on Substack – Check them out below
Our latest blog posts
Fossil Free South Africa – Jo'burg launch 20 November
Johannesburg launch: 20 November 2014
Time: 17h30 for 18h00
Venue: St Francis Anglican Church, 44 Tyrone Avenue, Parkview
Save the date! Our Cape Town launch on 12 November
From our roots at UCT, Fossil Free South Africa is fundraising and scaling up with launches planned across South Africa in November.
Upcoming video shoot, Glasgow divests(!), and other news
We are shooting a video to support fundraising to expand this campaign.
Introduction
Climate change is a major threat to human life and wellbeing, especially in Africa – but governments just aren't acting fast enough. If coal, gas and oil companies follow their current business plans, devastating consequences will follow.
UCT Chancellor Graça Machel on climate change
UCT Chancellor Graça Machel's speech on climate change at the closing ceremony of the UN Climate Summit last week (23 September 2014). Available on video here, starting at about minute 14.
Letter to UCT requesting details of investments, mandates, etc
We are happy to relate that the launch was very successful, with over 100 people attending. Students, academic staff and alumni were well-represented at the event and nearly 30 members of the university community signed up for a working group which has since had several meetings.
Events, screenings and our petition now online
Please sign our petition, now online, calling on UCT to divest from fossil fuels and invest in sustainable energy!
Global civil society mobilises around the UN climate summit
There is a global climate summit in New York on 23 September organised by the UN.
Sydney University freezes coal investment, and other updates
Great news from Australia: Sydney University has frozen investment in coal.
Next working group meeting, and other updates
Following our successful UCT campaign launch, we've formed a Fossil Free UCT working group.
Fossil Free UCT launch a great success
We'll post more details and information over the next few days, but for the meantime, we're very happy to report that our launch event for Fossil Free UCT at the university last night felt like a great success.
Updates
Two days to go before our campaign launch at UCT on 30 July (17h30, Leslie Social Sciences 1A)
Archbishop Desmond Tutu supports call for University of Cape Town to divest from fossil fuels
It is the world’s wealthiest countries and people who have benefited most from the use of fossil fuels, and have contributed most to global warming.
Fossil Free UCT campaign launches 30 July
The launch event for the UCT fossil fuel divestment campaign will be on 30 July, from 5.30-7pm, in Leslie Social Sciences 1A.
Divestment discussed at the World Student Environment Network 2014 Global Summit in Stellenbosch
A representative of Go Fossil Free South Africa addressed student delegates from around the world on the subject of fossil fuel divestment during the World Student Environment Network 2014 Global Summit in Stellenbosch.
Obama supports fossil fuel divestment
Speaking at length about climate change at a commencement address at the University of California at Irvine, on 14 June, US president Barack Obama made the following remarks…
Go fossil free South Africa – campaign update
We are planning to launch our UCT divestment campaign on campus on 30 July 2014, at 17h30. Details to follow...
VARSITY oped: 'UCT should divest from fossil fuels now'
What kind of future do you like to imagine for yourself? One of personal success in a secure, prosperous world?
Harvard faculty call for divestment
A powerful statement from faculty at Harvard, calling for divestment (read it in full here):