On 17th September, almost 60 families and supporters joined a protest in front of South Shields Town Hall to call on the Tyne and Wear Pension Fund to end its investment in oil, gas and coal.
Coordinated by Divest Tyne & Wear and carrying personal placards, the event was one of scores of protests around the world in a Global Week of Action.
Protestor Karen made clear how Tyne and Wear Pension Fund is harming all our futures - including those of its own members who pay into the fund.
"The science is irrefutable. We don't have an option. For the continued survival of humanity, we need to stop burning fossil fuels. Money must be switched from fossil fuel investment to invest in sustainable futures."
Even the front page of the Gazette captured the global protests about fossil fuels that the Tyne and Wear Pension Fund want to keep investing in up until 2050. Karen added "All these families here today are asking them not to."
Watch the video here
What is ‘Mother’s Rebellion’?
A growing global community of mothers, caregivers and allies fighting for sustainability for present and future generations. Linked to, and standing behind, Extinction Rebellion’s demands for declaring a state of climate emergency, the method they use in their demonstrations is simple - a circle of mothers (caregivers and allies) sitting peacefully, often holding signs with the names of their children or other messages related to the climate crisis.
Poor Pension Fund advice on climate risks
The Carbon Tracker report highlighted in Divest Tyne & Wear’s August newsletter is one of several that have recently hit the headlines. Campaigners joined a briefing with the authors, who revealed the climate risks advice provided to pension funds - and how far it differs from the consensus of climate scientists and the UN. The Pension Regulator's climate lead has written about the new reports and urged pension funds to review: “These reports starkly highlight the limitations of current models and scenario analysis." Read more here
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