San Francisco, CA 94103
USA
Join us for the SF pension board special vote on fossil fuel divestment
Last week, New York City changed everything. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the city’s pension system would be divesting from fossil fuels — that’s the nation’s fourth largest pension system. Exactly two weeks after that announcement, next Wednesday January 24th, San Francisco’s $20 billion pension system will vote to do the same.
San Francisco’s late, great Mayor Ed Lee published an op-ed1 just hours before his untimely passing calling on the pension system and the city to go fossil free. The implications of the second major US pension system moving to divest from fossil fuels within weeks of New York are huge.
As with all big and bold policy announcements, there is a backstory of a hard won grassroots struggle. Fossil Free SF has been pushing for this change for years. And in this last hour of the campaign we all need your help.
Help make this vote a big and beautiful people power moment. Please show up to the SF pension board special vote on fossil fuel divestment on January 24th to tell the board: our public funds need to be fossil free.
Fossil fuels are a poor investment and present significant risk to the stability of the pension system. Not only have fossil fuels underperformed the market over the last five years, but coal, oil and gas companies have sunk billions into burning fossil fuels that just can’t be burned.
Last year, San Francisco and Oakland announced they were suing five of the largest oil and gas companies2 for the harm climate change will cause their cities. As many know personally, the Bay Area has borne the brunt of some of the most recent extreme climate impacts.
This is a major moment for the Bay Area, so please don’t let it pass you by. Show up to 1145 Market Street for the 1pm meeting on January 24th and let’s get ready to celebrate.