A GLOBAL campaign to lobby banks to not invest in fossil fuels is coming to Frankston.
Global Divestment Day, a movement to try to “weaken the political power of the fossil fuel industry”, will hold its first day of action on Saturday 14 February.
The Frankston event, to be held at White St Mall, will be one of 300 around the world.
The day has been organised by 350.org, “a grassroots movement to take on the fossil fuel industry and solve the climate crisis”.
Frankston activists Claire Dawson and Alison Bennett are inviting Frankston and Mornington Peninsula residents concerned about climate change to attend to show banks Australians want their investment in fossil fuel to end.
“It’s for anyone who wants to use constructive means to combat climate change especially when the political process has happened so slowly,” Ms Dawson said.
“People are saying we can’t wait for the politicians so this is a way for consumers to adopt a more market-driven approach by saying ‘we’re going to move our money’ [if a bank invests in the fossil fuels industry].
“Large international banks have pulled out of proposed expansions such as Abbot Point [coal project] near the Great Barrier Reef … but Australian banks are still quite happily talking about lending money.”
The campaign has already had some success in the United States where the Rockefellers Brothers Fund announced this year it would withdraw its investments from fossil fuel.
All are welcome to attend the Global Divestment Day at 9.30am on Saturday 14 February and can register at gofossilfree.org
First published in the Frankston Times
