As the staff and students of RMIT we need our university to commit to 100% divestment from the fossil fuel industry and stop contributing to climate change.

We demand:

• Divestment                                                                                                                                                           Immediately freeze any new investment in the Carbon Underground 200 – the top 200 publicly-traded and government owned fossil fuel companies, as defined by the Fossil Free Indexes [Link: http://fossilfreeindexes.com/].                                                                                                                           Divest within five years from direct ownership in those 200 companies-which hold the vast majority of the world's proven coal, oil, and gas reserves- and from any commingled funds that include their public equities or corporate bonds.

• Transparency                                                                                                                                                         A financial report on all RMIT’s investments should be released. This report in particular must report on RMIT’s exposure to companies whose significant business is fossil fuels and a percentage of their total investments.

• Accountability                                                                                                                                                        A public statement and timeline showing how RMIT will meet the 2024 deadline for 100% divestment from direct and indirect investments.

The fossil fuel industry is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. These emissions are dramatically increasing the frequency and severity of drought, flooding, bush fires and extreme weather events. Furthermore, the extraction of fossil fuels through mining and fracking are directly linked to earthquakes, contaminated water sources, destruction of vulnerable ecosystems and the massacre of indigenous people. Time is running out for us to mitigate the effects of fossil fuels on the climate. It is imperative that we act and stop the reliance on fossil fuels immediately.

Each year RMIT releases its Sustainability Report, with the most recent 2018 Report acknowledging that it still has 3.56% of the Philanthropy Fund invested in fossil fuels, and further money indirectly invested in companies that support the fossil fuel industry. Through RMIT divesting from fossil fuels it opens up opportunities to support renewable energy and progressive industries that help to better our communities.

We acknowledge RMIT is striving to become a leader in sustainability and climate action, however its actions do not meet the current needs to avoid climate change, environmental destruction and human displacement. As such, we demand RMIT acts with greater passion to 100% divest from the fossil fuel industry.

We support this letter in good faith that RMIT acknowledges the indisputable evidence that the current goals set by governments, businesses and the United Nations falls short of the necessary action needed to curb the catastrophic damage climate change will cause. By supporting this campaign we acknowledge our global responsibility. RMIT’s failure to remove investments from the fossil fuel industry means they must shoulder the responsibility of the damage to our planet.

**UPON SIGNING PLEASE INDICATE IF YOU ARE A STUDENT OR STAFF MEMBER OF RMIT IN THE COMMENT BOX TO INCREASE THE IMPACT OF THIS PETITION - THANKS **