At a press conference today in New York City on the heels of yesterday's massive People's Climate March, the international Invest-Divest coalition announced commitments for more than $50 billion in assets that will be divested from fossil fuels and moved into clean energy to address climate change. They include scores of foundations, faith groups, health organizations and major NGOs from around the world as well as wealthy private individuals. More than 800 global investors have now committed to divest their holding in fossil fuels.
The press conference was moderated by Ellen Dorsey, the executive director of Wallace Global Fund, whose mission is to direct its money to further environmental protection. Participants included Stephen Heinz, president of the Rockfeller Brothers Fund; Agnes Aboum, principal at the World Council of Churches; David Blood, co-founder of Generation Investment, and actor Mark Ruffalo, as well as Archbishop Desmond Tutu by video.
"Climate change is the human rights challenge of our time. We can no longer continue feeding our addiction to fossil fuels as if there is no tomorrow, for there will be no tomorrow," said Archbishop Tutu, a leading advocate of the divestment movement. He called for a freeze on all new fossil fuel exploration as the companies cannot safely burn 75 percent of known reserves.
These divestment commitments will be presented to the world leaders, including President Obama, at the UN Climate Summit tomorrow as evidence of the growing pressure to "move beyond the fossil fuel era," as Archbishop Tutu puts it.
"John D. Rockefeller, the founder of Standard Oil, moved America out of whale oil and into petroleum," explained Stephen Heintz, president of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. "We are quite convinced that if he were alive today, as an astute businessman looking out to the future, he would be moving out of fossil fuels and investing in clean, renewable energy."
"We encourage heads of state meeting at the United Nations to join with all people to take decisive steps to reverse climate change," said Dr. Agnes Abuom, moderator of the World Council of Church's Central Committee. "Let us move together to rebuild, restore and reclaim a life-giving and life-empowering world where all live in dignity, peace and justice."
The Divest-Invest coalition just formed in January, but the number of commitments it's already gotten illustrates the urgency about saving the environment felt by wealthy investors and organizations as well as the now reported 400,000 grassroots groups and ordinary citizens who attended yesterday's march.
This morning Scott Wallace, co-chair of the Wallace Global Fund, which has coordinated the Divest-Invest effort, was on Democracy Now! He is the grandson of Henry Wallace, who served as Franklin D. Roosevelt’s vice president and ran for president in 1948 on the Progressive Party ticket. Watch the interview below:
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Here are three new films to watch this Earth Week that will transport you from pole to pole and introduce you to the scientists and activists working to save our shared home.
1. The Year Earth Changed
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
When to Watch: From April 16
The coronavirus pandemic has brought home the stakes of humanity's impact on the environment. But the lockdowns also proved how quickly nature can recover when humans give it the space. Birds sang in empty cities, whales surfaced in Glacier Bay and capybara roamed the South American suburbs.
The Year Earth Changed captures this unique year with footage from more than 30 lockdowned cities between May 2020 to January 2021. Narrated by renowned wildlife broadcaster David Attenborough, the film explores what positive lessons we can take from the experience of a quieter, less trafficked world.
"What the film shows is that the natural world can bounce back remarkably quickly when we take a step back and reduce our impact as we did during lockdown," executive producer Alice Keens-Soper of BBC Studios Natural History Unit told EcoWatch. "If we are willing to make even small changes to our habits, the natural world can flourish. We need to learn how to co-exist with nature and understand that we are not separate from it- for example if we closed some of our beaches at for a few weeks during the turtle breeding we see that it can make a huge difference to their success. There are many ways that we can adapt our behavior to allow the natural world to thrive as it did in lockdown."
2. After Antarctica
Where to Watch: San Francisco International Film Festival
When to Watch: 12 a.m. PST April 9 to 11:59 p.m. April 18
In 1989, Will Steger led an international team of six scientists and explorers to be the first humans to cross Antarctica by dogsled. Steger and his team weren't just in it for the adventure. They also wanted to draw attention to the ways in which the climate crisis was already transforming the icy continent and to rally support for the renewal of the Antarctic Treaty, which would keep the continent safe from extractive industries.
In After Antarctica, award-winning filmmaker Tasha Van Zandt follows Steger 30 years later as he travels the Arctic this time, reflecting on his original journey and once again bringing awareness to changes in a polar landscape. The film intersperses this contemporary journey with footage from the original expedition, some of which has never been seen before.
"Will's life journey as an explorer and climate activist has led him not only to see more of the polar world than anyone else alive today, but to being an eyewitness to the changes occurring across both poles," Van Zandt told EcoWatch. "But now, these changes are happening in all of our own backyards and we have all become eyewitnesses. Through my journey with Will, I have learned that although we cannot always control change, we can change our response. I feel strongly that this is a message that resonates when we look at the current state of the world, as we each have power and control over how we choose to respond to hardships, and we all have the power to unite with others through collective action around a common goal."
After Antarctica is available to stream once you purchase a ticket to the San Francisco International Film Festival. If you miss it this weekend, it will screen again at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival from May 13 to May 23.
Tasha Van Zandt
3. The Race to Save the World
Where to Watch: Virtual Cinema
When to Watch: From Earth Day, April 22
While many films about the climate crisis seek to raise awareness about the extent of the problem, The Race to Save the World focuses on the people who are trying to stop it. The film tells the story of climate activists ranging from 15-year-old Aji to 72-year-old Miriam who are working to create a sustainable future. It follows them from the streets to the courtroom to their homes, and explores the impact of their advocacy on their personal lives and relationships.
Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Joe Gantz told EcoWatch that he wanted to make a film about climate change, but did not want to depress viewers with overwhelming statistics. Instead, he chose to inspire them by sharing the stories of people trying to make a difference.
"Unless millions of people take to the streets and make their voices heard for a livable future, the politicians are not going to get on board to help make the changes needed for a sustainable future," Gantz told Ecowatch. "I think that The Race To Save The World will energize and inspire people to take action so that future generations, as well as the plants, animals and ecosystems, can survive and thrive on this planet."
Check back with EcoWatch on the morning of Earth Day for a special preview of this inspiring film!