Prominent private philanthropies and charitable foundations, including one built from the oil fortune of John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil, are announcing their intention to divest from fossil fuel holdings on Monday as they make clear statements that the threat of climate change and the irresponsible behavior of the oil, coal, and natural gas companies has fueled their decision.
The pledges from the group of endowments and individuals, which formed earlier this year as the Global Divest-Invest Coalition, will total $50 billion in assets that will be removed from the fossil fuel sector and placed in clean energy investments instead.
As the New York Times reports, “The family whose legendary wealth flowed from Standard Oil is planning to announce on Monday that its $860 million philanthropic organization, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, is joining the divestment movement that began a couple years ago on college campuses.”
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