Pressure on ABP increases
Scientists have long agreed that to combat climate change, the ABP pension fund, of which they are all members, must do more to reduce the use of fossil energy. Recently, universities and researchers have regularly raised the alarm. A TU Delft petition in March called on ABP to reduce its investments in the fossil fuel industry and was signed by nearly 500 TU Delft researchers. That same month, the action group Scientists4Future, the self-proclaimed ‘coalition of concerned scientists’ and all the Dutch Young Academies, sent a letter to the boards of 45 colleges and universities.
Their letter called on the boards to help them exert pressure on ABP to divest from the fossil industry. The campaigners also wanted an independent committee to check whether ABP’s investment portfolio was in line with the Paris Climate Agreement objectives. In a press release, the scientists report that 55% of the institutions contacted have already responded positively to the letter. (HOP)
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