June, 11 2021, 12:55pm EDT
Maine Becomes First State in the U.S. to Pass Fossil Fuel Divestment Legislation
WASHINGTON
On Tuesday, June 8, Maine became the first state in the U.S. to pass fossil fuel divestment legislation. Maine joins a mass movement of institutions representing nearly $15 trillion in assets that have committed to divest.
Cassie Cain, 350 Maine and Maine Climate Action Now's Youth Engagement Coordinator, offered the following:
"Thank you to Representative Maggie O'Neil for driving this bill forward and the legislators who voted in favor for recognizing their fiduciary responsibility to pensioners and their responsibility to protect our future. The divestment of MainePERS is a necessary step in authentically tackling the climate crisis on a systemic level, investing in Maine's future, and protecting the pensions of Maine's public employees. This success is testament to the intergenerational grassroots movement which led this campaign and acknowledgement that we must have a just transition away from fossil fuel economies.''
This victory is thanks to grassroots organizing across the state, including groups like 350 Maine, Maine Youth for Climate Justice (MYCJ), Maine Climate Action Now (MCAN), and Sierra Club Maine.
350 is building a future that's just, prosperous, equitable and safe from the effects of the climate crisis. We're an international movement of ordinary people working to end the age of fossil fuels and build a world of community-led renewable energy for all.
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