• FOSSIL Free Islington congratulates the Islington Green and Labour parties on their manifesto commitments to divest the council’s pension fund from fossil fuel companies.

To avoid catastrophic climate change, we must transform the global energy system radically. But with continued investment in coal, oil and gas extraction, fossil fuel companies are out of step with international emis­sions reduction targets.

The majority of fossil fuel reserves must remain in the ground to avoid climate breakdown, so divestment is a clear ethical decision and a prudent strategy to protect pensioners’ investments from stranded assets.

We have a moral duty to look after the world’s most vulner­able communities, ecosystems and future generations. With these pledges, Labour and the Greens show they are ready to step up.

In joining a rapidly growing number of institutions around the world who are ditching fossil fuel investments, they show positive leadership on this defining issue.

With Sadiq Khan recently calling on London boroughs to stop funding fossil fuel com­panies, we hope Islington will join Southwark and Wal­tham Forest in being one of the first to put divestment into practice.

Councillors have listened carefully to motions passed by local union branches, our 1,000-strong petition, the wishes of council staff and groups such as Islington Pensioners’ Forum.

We look forward to continuing to work with councillors after the elections towards a formal divestment commitment and ambitious timeline from the pensions sub-committee.

So far, neither Islington Lib Dems nor Conservatives have commented on their plans to clean up council investments. Where do they stand on funding climate catastrophe?

JEN CRONIN
Address supplied