How can we use finance for a just transition for all?
A wrap up of our recent web event with Just Share and the Fair Finance Coalition for Cape Town Climate Week
Hello again friends and supporters,
Today I’m reflecting on the question: how can we use finance (at the individual, institutional, and governmental levels) to ensure a just transition away from fossil fuels?
This was a central point of discussion at our recent web event; Terrible Twins: Fossil Fuels and Finance.
It is clear that there are no easy answers but ensuring we have this ongoing conversation is an essential part of growing the momentum towards a better future. What became very clear through our discussion however, is the need to focus on multiple angles and methods when it comes to campaigning for an end to fossil fuel funding, including:
Building awareness, accessibility and literacy around the discussion of finance and fossil fuels in a way that generates agency for individuals without placing blame on them
Embracing the role of grassroots organising and mobilisation in putting pressure on financial institutions
Looking at both shareholder engagement and divestment as strategies for individuals and institutions
Focusing on the various financial flows including banks, public money, institutional investments and private investments
Ensuring we are not over-simplifying the conversation to be nothing more than a need for a shift from dirty to clean energy. But rather about systemic change in which the use of renewable energy contributes to a shift rather than a continuation of the current unjust system
You can watch the full event here and take a look at some of the key points we discussed on our #InvestFossilFree campaign here. We are grateful to our panel that was made up of Emma Schuster and Ayabulela Quzu from Just Share, Glen Tyler from 350Africa.org which is part of the Fair Finance Coalition, myself (Sarah Robyn Farrell) on behalf of Fossil Free SA, and Mitchelle Mhaka from African Climate Alliance as moderator.
We hope to continue with such engagements as we build momentum on our various work and campaigns.
If you haven’t yet signed on the #InvestFossilFree campaign, please do so here.
If you have any questions or thoughts, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Until next time,
Sarah on behalf of the FFSA team