Sunrise Springfield is part of a people-powered movement demanding a Green New Deal and the right to a livable future. We are now taking this movement to MSU. As public pressure to confront climate change builds, we call on Missouri State University to meet two demands:

1. Engage in a negotiation with the Foundation’s CFO, Northern Trust, to establish an exclusionary investment plan that divests from harmful fossil fuels within the next 5 years. More specifically, we would like assurance that Missouri State University is divesting from the top 20 global carbon-emitting entities.

2. Invest in clean energy that reduces carbon emissions and replaces fossil fuel investments. By investing in clean energy (solar, wind, etc), sustainable energy industries can expand and reach new markets. 

Climate change is rapidly ruining our planet. The Carbon Majors Report reveals that just 100 companies and it’s investors are responsible for over 70% of global emissions. It is unfair that a relatively small group of companies are responsible for the climate crisis, but it is people like the students and staff of MSU who will be most affected by its destructive impact. It is clear that investing in companies that wreak havoc on the environment is immoral and directly conflicts with MSU’s public affairs mission. 

For the good of our students and our nation, and to preserve the quality of life for this and future generations worldwide, we call upon MSU to join a growing movement of schools around the country that are committed to preventing a more extreme climate by moving Missouri State University’s endowment beyond fossil fuels.