Fossil fuel divestment toolkit
Divesting from fossil fuels is important.
As Catholics, we’re called to protect creation and all who share it. Divestment from fossil fuels–and reinvestment in clean renewable energy–can go a long way towards protecting our common home from climate change and pollution.
As importantly, every act of divestment is a vote for the clean energy economy. Fossil fuel companies know that their business model requires constant new investments in a diminishing resource–even Shell says that divestment is a “material risk” to its dirty energy bottom line.
Divesting from fossil fuels is important.
As Catholics, we’re called to protect creation and all who share it. Divestment from fossil fuels–and reinvestment in clean renewable energy–can go a long way towards protecting our common home from climate change and pollution.
As importantly, every act of divestment is a vote for the clean energy economy. Fossil fuel companies know that their business model requires constant new investments in a diminishing resource–even Shell says that divestment is a “material risk” to its dirty energy bottom line.
Your leadership can make a difference
This toolkit will help you get started.
- Learn about the Catholic movement to divest from fossil fuels
- Learn how your institution can divest–and get free resources to encourage your leaders to join
Part I:
About Catholic Fossil Fuel Divestment
Part I:
About Catholic Fossil Fuel Divestment
Overviews of Catholic divestment
- Ethical Investments in an Era of Climate Change This comprehensive overview, created by Trócaire, will guide you through climate science, the Catholic teaching behind divestment, and the concrete steps communities have taken to put teaching into practice.
- Divestment types to inform your decision-making process.
- Additional documents to understand divestment and its role in Catholic social teaching.
Information about Catholic teaching
- The Catholic argument for fossil fuel divestment describes how Catholic institutions see this choice in the context of their work for justice.
- Statements on divestment from Church leaders.
Catholic case studies
- These real-world examples of successful divestment by Catholic institutions will inspire and inform you:
- Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea, a deeply helpful look at the concrete steps this institution took before, during, and after divestment
- Caritas India, which divested while serving poor communities that had been hit hard by extreme weather
- Bank for Church and Caritas, a German Catholic bank with more than 4 billion euros on its balance sheet
- Passionist Catholic Religious Order of England and Wales
- Jesuits in English Canada
Videos
- Please see videos here.
Part II:
Join the Movement
- Roadmap to fossil fuel divestment, a one-page infographic helps you understand the basic steps your community will take to make its divestment decision.
- Two-page overview of divestment decisions, with a very concise summary of steps from the “Ethical Investments in an Era of Climate Change” toolkit.
- Sample letter to send to the leader of your Catholic institution (bishops’ conference, diocese, university, etc.)
- Posters to display in your institution before or after your divestment decision:
- Fossil fuel divestment protects our common home
- Civilization requires energy, but energy use must not destroy civilization! –Pope Francis
- PowerPoint presentation.