Across the nation and internationally, people are organizing to call out pension funds for their harmful investments in the fossil fuel industry — an industry which is not only destroying our planet, but is also increasingly shown to be a bad financial investment. This past week 350 Colorado and the Fossil Free PERA campaign teamed up with allies in Canada to call out harmful fossil fuel investments made by both Colorado and Canadian pension funds that are directly and adversely impacting Colorado communities. In September, the Boulder Weekly published an article highlighting this bi-national collaboration. While Canada’s pension plan, CPPIB, invests Canadian pension savings to finance Colorado’s Crestone Peak Resources fracking company, Colorado’s pension plan, PERA, is investing Coloradans’ public money in problematic fossil fuel companies such as Suncor and Extraction Oil and Gas, both under scrutiny for harming local communities through dangerous pollution violations, particularly near lower income communities and communities of color.
To highlight the negative impacts of these investments, 350 CO and Fossil Free PERA launched a video from impacted Coloradans to PERA members. You can watch the video and share here.
Across the state, concerned residents are calling on PERA Board members, leadership and staff to curb fossil fuel investments that are harming public health and fueling the climate crisis. In addition to harming our communities, evidence is increasingly showing that fossil fuels are a bad investment. In 2020 alone, there have been 44 bankruptcy filings by the US oil and gas sector, totaling $55 billion in debt. Colorado ranks the 5th highest state in the US for the number of bankruptcy filings by the oil and gas industry since 2015. In fact, a 2019 study shows that PERA lost $1.77B by not divesting from fossil fuels 10 years ago.
Please join us in calling on PERA to begin the process of divesting from fossil fuels and to proactively plan for the energy transition to renewable energy. They need to hear loud and clear that we do not want our public money to be invested in companies which are adversely impacting our public health and safety.
Here’s how you can take action now:
- Call on PERA to invest public funds in ways that are not only financially viable long-term, but also support the public good. Send a letter to PERA here, calling on PERA to protect Coloradans’ health and safety by curbing fossil fuel investments. Feel free to personalize the letter to reflect your experience and views, and please share with your networks.
- Share the video from impacted Coloradans to PERA members & PERA to spread the word about the impacts of PERA’s fossil fuel investments on local communities
- Learn more about the issue and share: Check out the Fossil Free PERA website.