The “Global Divestment Day, Challenges Fossil Fuel Industry” symbolic walk, from the Cathedral Bell Tower to the Provincial Capitol in the City recently, was joined by environmentalists, civil society groups, churches, teachers and students in Dumaguete.

Southeast Asia coordinator of 350.org  Zeph Repollo, said, they emitted 565 more Gigatones carbon dioxide and stay below 2°C of warming agreed in the Copenhagen accord, but the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2,795 Gigatones carbon dioxide – five times more from the 2°C target.

Repollo also said that fossil fuel companies are set to burn it all, unless they join and stop them.

The effort continues through awareness campaign in universities and institutions, and campaigns to stop new coal-fired power plant projects in the country.

The Global Divestment Day of action marked a turning point for the movement working to further de-legitimize the fossil fuel industry. More than a dozen new countries will launch campaigns on new targets, with thousands more joining this movement, from South Africa, Nigeria, Japan, France, Ukraine and many more.

New campaign targets include cities, universities and faith institutions, while existing campaigns will escalate pressure to accelerate divestment commitments.

The organizers said Global Divestment Day will be another step in the right direction.*RG

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