How can you support Divest Strathclyde in 2022?

By Lewis Coenen-Rowe

January 2022

This is a blog post from January 2022. For the most up to date information on how to help out with the campaign, visit this page.

So, here we are in 2022 and the campaign is still going. Although Glasgow City Council has repeatedly shown its support for divesting the Strathclyde Pension Fund – through the city’s Climate Emergency Action Plan, a 69-4 vote in favour from full council, and signing up to the C40 Cities declaration – the pension fund committee have yet to come up with a viable strategy for divesting.

Progress has been made, with a motion passed by the committee in September indicating that divestment would be considered as a possibility, but we still need to push for a commitment to full fossil fuel divestment as a matter of urgency. 

There is widespread support for this move – from other councils in the Strathclyde area, from unions represented on the advisory pension fund board, from pension holders, and even from members of the committee – and with another committee meeting coming up in early March, now is the time to put pressure on the committee to take the necessary action. 

There are loads of things you can do to help us achieve fossil fuel divestment in 2022, here are a few ideas:

Contact your councillor and ask them to support the campaign.

Tweet at the councillors on the pension fund committee and let them know you support divestment. Many of them have professional accounts as councillors and their interactions through social media shape their perception of what is most urgent, so politely letting them know that you support the campaign is a great way to make a quick difference. Here’s a list of the committee members currently on Twitter: 

Speak to your employer. You can check the Strathclyde Pension Fund annual report to find out if your employer uses them. If so, why not speak to them about it and encourage them to raise fossil fuel divestment as an issue with the fund directly. 

Join the group! We always welcome new members and there’s room for everyone to contribute, even if you only have a little time to spare. Get in touch with us at diveststrathclyde@gmail.com and come along to one of our meetings!