November 9, 2015

350.org Responds Peabody Climate Settlement

New York City — 350.org Strategy and Communications Director Jamie Henn issued the following reaction to the news that Peabody Energy would be disclosing the financial risks climate change poses to its business model:

“This is a small settlement that will make a huge impact. Fossil fuel companies are finally being forced to account for the damage they’re inflicting on communities and the climate. It’s also a major win for the fossil fuel divestment movement: as the risks of investing in climate destruction become more clear, investors will start moving even faster to dump their stocks.

The Peabody settlement is a good sign that the Exxon investigation could also have a far reaching impact. The fossil fuel industry has long thought of itself as invincible to public critique, but no longer. As the divestment movement continues to chip away at their social license, fossil fuel companies are losing the ability to brush aside these investigations. Shell’s defeat in the Arctic and the rejection of Keystone XL are just the beginning of what could be a string of bad news for the industry.”

350.org supports the international fossil fuel divestment movement. To date, nearly 500 institutions representing $2.6 trillion in capital have made some form of divestment commitment. 350.org is challenging institutions to make additional commitments ahead of the Paris climate talks this December. For more information, visit: gofossilfree.org

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