Climate change is probably the most urgent problem facing our species and the planet today. It even threatens the existence of our favourite species: homo sapiens.

In September we went to the Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS 2018) in San Francisco to create a series of videos on a global investor movement that’s accelerating the sustainable energy transition: DivestInvest.

The wonderful Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland

What a time to be in San Francisco. Leaders from all over the world – from the Amazon Basin to Indonesia – were all in town to take climate ambition to the next level.

After the Rise People’s Climate March, we chatted with NGOs, investors, a DJ and a former President about the divestment movement – and why it’s essential that we invest in climate solutions.

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We have got to have divestment from fossil fuel and investment in clean energy. Investors can move their assets to support climate justice. Just imagine if all investors committed 5% to clean energy across the globe.

Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland

Watch our introduction ► DivestInvest is a call to action. How many times does the fossil fuel industry have to tell shareholders to go to hell before they realise that stronger action is necessary?

The ethical arguments ► If it’s wrong to destroy the planet, it’s wrong to profit from that destruction. That’s the basic bottom line.

Learn about divesting from financial risk ► The reason that the DivestInvest effort has been successful is because it has a sound financial rationale and the fossil fuel sector does not. Why would we own companies that are liable to be sued as the world realises the seriousness of climate change?

Videos produced by Atlas of the Future for DivestInvest. Contributors include:

Ellen Dorsey, Executive Director, Wallace Global Fund

Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland and President, Mary Robinson Foundation

Bill de Blasio, Mayor of New York City

Al Gore, former US vice-president turned climate change advocate

Rev. Fletcher Harper, Executive Director, GreenFaith

Jeremy Grantham, Co-founder, GMO

Mark Lewis, Managing Director, Carbon Tracker Initiative

Bill McKibben, Founder, 350.org

Nadia Nazar, Zero Hour Deputy

Thomas Pringle, Member of the Irish Parliament

Tom Sanzillo, Director of Finance, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis

DJ Spooky

Kat Taylor, CEO, Beneficial State Bank

Tom Van Dyck, Senior Vice President, RBC Wealth Management

Clara Vondrich, Global Director, DivestInvest

Ready for action?

AtlasAction ► Join the global investor movement accelerating the sustainable energy transition. Take the pledge to join the unstoppable movement

Feel the joy ► Our planet is buzzing with cool climate ideas

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