Climate Campaigners To Stage Mock Wedding Outside County Hall In Lewes

Campaigners from Divest East Sussex are planning a demonstration outside the County Hall in Lewes next Tuesday (March 22) in protest over investment of the East Sussex Pension Fund.

The mock wedding between East Sussex County Council and fossil fuels will be staged on the date of ESCCs next council meeting by climate campaigners from across East Sussex and Brighton and Hove.

They say the "theatrical protest" – which will feature a 'vicar', a veiled bride and top-hatted groom, and a congregation - is being held to highlight ESCC's ongoing refusal to stop investing the East Sussex Pension Fund in the giant fossil fuel (oil, coal and gas) companies that are driving the climate crisis. 



Campaigners say that the East Sussex Pension Fund (which covers Brighton & Hove as well as East Sussex) "currently has tens of millions of pounds of local people’s pensions invested in giant oil and gas companies like Shell and BP".

Hastings Borough Council, Lewes Town Council, Lewes District Council, Brighton & Hove City Council, Bexhill Town Council, Peacehaven Town Council, UNISON, Maria Caulfield MP (Con, Lewes) and Caroline Lucas MP (Green, Brighton Pavilion) have all called on ESCC to stop investing in fossil fuels. The Fund is likely to vote again on fossil fuel divestment at its meeting on July 20th.



In a statement, Divest said:

Burning fossil fuels (oil, coal & gas) is the main driver of climate change. Massive reductions in carbon emissions will be necessary before 2030 if the world’s governments are to follow through on their stated commitment (‘the Paris agreement’) to hold global warming to ‘well below’ 2ºC, ‘pursuing’ 1.5ºC. In particular, the vast majority of proven reserves of fossil fuels will have to remain in the ground unburned. 

Yet despite many years of the Fund's favoured policy of ‘engagement’ with fossil fuel companies, not a single major oil company can credibly be argued to be aligned with a 1.5°C pathway.

A recent study of four oil majors (BP, Shell, Exxon and Chevron) found 'a continuing business model dependence on fossil fuels along with insignificant and opaque spending on clean energy', concluding that 'the transition to clean energy business models is not occurring, since the magnitude of investments and actions does not match discourse' and that 'accusations of greenwashing appear well-founded'.

In its most recent report, the IPCC – the UN's climate science body – noted that even with stringent climate measures likely to limit warming to 2°C, half of the world's population 'could be exposed to periods of life-threatening climatic conditions arising from coupled impacts of extreme heat and humidity by 2100'.


A spokesperson for Divest East Sussex said:

"Despite many years of pressure from campaigners, East Sussex County Council is still investing local people’s money in the giant oil and gas companies, like Shell and BP, that are driving the climate crisis. By clinging on to these investments it is helping to provide a fig-leaf for these companies’ ongoing attempts to block effective climate action and missing a huge opportunity to show real leadership on the climate crisis. It’s long past time for East Sussex County Council to make a public commitment to fully divest from fossil fuels."

A spokesperson for the East Sussex Pension Fund said:

“The East Sussex Pension Fund (the Fund) manages the pensions of over 78,000 members and on behalf of 130 employers, with the primary legal objective to pay pensions in full when they are due. 

“The Fund has a policy of engagement first and engages with underlying investee companies through its investment managers and the membership of collaborative engagement groups. The Fund has been shortlisted twice for awards associated with its approach to Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) issues.

“As the Fund is only a unit holder in pooled investments, and not a direct investor in companies, it does not select the underlying companies itself. The approach of engagement, rather than excluding sectors, is recommended by various government departments, the Fund’s advisers and a wide number of climate investment specialist organisations. 

“The Fund believes that climate change presents significant challenges, however this extends well beyond the fossil fuel sector; and selling the investment does not reduce the global demand or emissions. The Fund’s strategy combines investment in climate and sustainability solutions, coupled with engagement to promote decarbonisation in polluting companies and sectors, and as a means of influencing the private oil and gas majors to increasingly divert their cashflows towards renewable energy technologies and solutions.  

“The Fund has moved 10 per cent of its assets into investments looking specifically at making a positive impact on climate solutions and sustainability challenges, with a further 20 per cent invested in funds aligned to the Paris Agreement or resource efficient focused funds. A large portion of the remaining investments are in real assets so have no exposure to the fossil fuel industry. The Fund’s exposure to the fossil fuel sector has reduced significantly in recent years.”