Friends of the Earth member group, Healthy Futures, have secured a huge win for our future, our world and for people's health everywhere. Superannuation fund, HESTA, announced that they're divesting from thermal coal, one of the most toxic and environmentally destructive forms of energy production still operating on the planet.
Switching from coal to renewable energy is one of our most urgent tasks globally to limit climate change and its health impacts. HESTA, the super fund for hundreds of thousands of Australian health and community service workers, has now affirmed that thermal coal is "in structural decline" - and they're out of it.
This win comes after nearly five years of tireless advocacy by dozens of passionate health care workers, community service workers and students, and 492 HESTA members writing to HESTA and asking them to divest from fossil fuels to protect our climate and our health.
So what's next?
1) HESTA is now ahead of most (but not all) other Australian super funds in terms of showing leadership on climate change. Please click here to send them a pre-templated email thanking them for their leadership, and also asking them to divest from oil and gas, the next two behemoth industries driving the climate crisis.
2) For almost two years we've been running these campaigns using only the personal savings of a few individual donors and we're constantly in the red. Given it's the end of financial year in three days, please click here to make a tax-deductible donation so we can carry on our work for a safe climate future - or better yet, click here to donate regularly as a Healthy Futures Hero.
3) Give yourself a pat on the back for any part you played in this victory, and if you'd like to work with us in any other way to help tackle climate change, please reply to this email and we can plan next steps together.
Whilst you are here, please make a tax deductible donation. Friends of the Earth relies on donations from people like you to keep running campaigns for social and environmental justice.