The Environment

Since the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th century, atmospheric carbon levels have skyrocketed. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded in 2013 that global warming is overwhelmingly caused by humans, and a large portion of that warming is attributable to carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels, particularly coal.

When fossil fuels are burned, they release CO2 and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, trapping heat and warming the planet. Coal is the dirtiest of them all, releasing the most CO2 when burned and spewing toxins like mercury, lead and sulfur dioxide into the air we breathe.

The IPCC estimates that Earth has already warmed by 0.8 degrees Celsius in the past century, and agrees that if the atmosphere warms by more than 2 degrees Celsius, the effects of climate change will be disastrous and irreversible.

Climate change is usually thought of as something that will affect future generations, but the truth is that it’s already started to cause some serious damage. Sea levels are rising and glaciers and ice caps are melting, which means coastal areas are slowly being submerged. Droughts, tropical storms and heat waves have all increased in duration and intensity (think of California, Typhoon Haiyan, or Superstorm Sandy). And millions of species are losing habitats and food sources as a result of warming. The only way to avoid even more harmful effects in the future is to take action now. By divesting, Northwestern can disempower the fossil fuel industry and turn the tide on climate change.

TL;DR

Climate change is happening, and is overwhelmingly caused by humans burning fossil fuels, especially the dirtiest fuel, coal.
Climate change could be disastrous, leading to extreme weather, rising seas and the loss of millions of species.
It’s wrong for fossil fuel companies to profit off the destruction of the planet, and it’s irresponsible for Northwestern to invest in those companies.