Dear BURSAR NAME,
I was extremely pleased to see that Cambridge University has put in place plans to divest from fossil fuels by 2030. As you'll have seen, the university’s chief investment officer, Tilly Franklin, said: “Climate change, ecological destruction and biodiversity loss present an urgent existential threat, with severe risks to humankind and all other life on Earth. The investment office has responded to those threats by pursuing a strategy that aims to support and encourage the global transition to a carbon neutral economy.”
As an ALUMNA / ALUMNUS, I'm writing to ask you about plans for COLLEGE NAME to divest.
There's now no scientific doubt as to the gravity of the climate crisis. We already see almost daily in the news wildfires, flooding, famine and drought linked to warming temperatures. Current projections are that without very drastic action, we are headed for a rise of between 3 and 4 degrees above pre-industrial levels. This will make large proportions of our planet uninhabitable, and lead to a great deal more suffering, death and very rapid forced migration with all the political instability that brings. If present trends continue, undergraduates starting now at COLLEGE NAME face food and water shortages in the UK by the time they are in middle age, if not before. As climate feedback loops kick in, the “existential threat” that Ms Franklin mentioned is not a figure of speech. kick in, the “existential threat” that Ms Franklin mentioned is not a figure of speech.
It's also sound action in terms of safeguarding the value of COLLEGE NAME’s investments in the long term. While it was not foregrounded in the press release, it's notable that several leading investment experts including Mark Carney have warned that given international action on climate change, those with investments in fossil fuels may find themselves with stranded assets, and see the value of their portfolios fall.
I understand from the XR Cambridge website (https://xrcambridge.org/university-divestment) that COLLEGE NAME still holds funds in fossil fuels - could you tell me if this is still correct?
Please follow the lead of other colleges such as Queens’ and begin this journey.
I look forward to hearing from you.
YOUR NAME