The scientific consensus is clear and overwhelming; we cannot safely burn even half of global fossil-fuel reserves without dangerously warming the planet for several thousand years. For this reason, Australia needs to transition away from non-renewable energy as soon as possible, but unfortunately this isn’t happening fast enough. This is why we need large, reputable institutions like La Trobe University to divest from all fossil fuel companies to send a clear message to every Australian that we cannot continue ‘business as usual’. So, for the good of our students and our nation, and to preserve the quality of life for this and future generations worldwide, we call upon you to divest the La Trobe University funds from enterprises that extract, transport, process or distribute fossil fuels. Specifically, we call upon you to
(1) immediately freeze any new investment in fossil-fuel companies,
(2) to divest within five years from direct ownership and from any commingled funds that include fossil-fuel public equities and corporate bonds, and
(3) commit to full disclosure of the carbon exposure of its investments and provide regular public reports of its progress.