[ [link removed] ]350.org

 

 



John,

We need your help to pass SB 1173, California’s Fossil Fuel Divestment
Bill, which would require the two largest public pension funds in the
country to divest billions from fossil fuel companies.

For years, the California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) and
the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) have invested
heavily in the fossil fuel industry.

CalPERS and CalSTRS have an estimated $9 BILLION invested in the fossil
fuel industry. As a result, they’re not only funding the destruction of
our planet, but have lost $17.4 billion dollars over the last ten years by
investing in a dying industry – taking retirement money away from our
teachers and public employees.^1

SB 1173 would require CalPERS and CalSTRS to divest from fossil fuels by
July 2030. The bill has been passed by the California State Senate and
will be heard by the Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee
in one week.



Even if you don't live in California, making your voice heard today will
have a HUGE impact on our ability to win this fight, which is why we are
asking:



[ [link removed] ]We need your help to contact the members of this committee to make sure
they vote YES on SB 1173 so the bill can move to the full Assembly floor.
Can you send a letter today?

Here’s three ways you can help:

Please pick whatever action works best for you, or if you’d like, complete
all three!

 1. [ [link removed] ]Send a letter to the members of the Committee: This letter targets
Assemblymembers who are in the Public Employment and Retirement
Committee. Send a letter using this form asking them to vote YES on
SB 1173.

If you can, adapt our pre-written letter or write your own. Even
changing the subject line and adding a paragraph at the beginning of
the letter can significantly increase your impact.

 2. [ [link removed] ]Call the Committee Members: You can find the numbers for the
committee members in the link above. Please share a quick comment
(including your name, where you live, and “I urge you to support SB
1173” followed by your own reasons for supporting the bill (Have you
been impacted by a climate disaster? Why is climate action important
to you?) Remember to thank the staffer for their time!

 3. [ [link removed] ]Help spread the word on social media: Please click to share our
pre-written Tweet above to help spread the word and call on the chair
of the committee, Jim Cooper, to vote YES.

Assembly member Cooper has accepted nearly $37,000 in campaign
donations from dirty fossil fuel money, so we need to make sure he
listens to the people, not Exxon or Chevron.^2

We know these fights can be won,
John. In 2020, our movement successfully
pressured New York state to divest its $226 billion pension fund from the
riskiest oil and gas companies, becoming biggest fossil fuel divestment by
a pension fund in the world.^3

People want to know that their pension funds make a profit to ensure a
healthy retirement and that they aren’t endangering their lives, their
children’s future, or the future of our planet.

Real people are suffering right now on the frontlines of climate impacts,
whether from hurricanes, typhoons, fires, floods, pollution or heat waves.
They are also suffering on the frontlines of fossil fuel extraction.

Together, CalPERS and CalSTRS have invested over $593 million in
TotalEnergies and CNOOC, the oil giants behind the East African Crude Oil
Pipeline.

It’s unacceptable and we’re calling on every member of the California
Assembly to take a stand by voting YES on SB 1173 to end the reckless use
of retirement funds to pump billions to the fossil fuel industry.

[ [link removed] ]Please send a letter now or take one of the actions above before next
Wednesday’s crucial hearing.

Thank you for reading and for speaking out.

Team 350

[ [link removed] ]Send a letter »

1 - [ [link removed] ]Fossil Free California
2 - [ [link removed] ]Tracking Dirty Dollars - Sierra Club California
3 - [ [link removed] ]The New York Times




 




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