Bill Gates Speaks on Divestment

Submitted by larryf13 on Tue, 06/30/2015 - 2:09pm

The worlds largest charitable organization lead by Bill and Melinda Gates, who are quoted as saying the threat of climate change is so serious that immediate action is needed. Currently the charity hold approximately $1.4 billion of fossil fuel investments in the world's biggest fossil fuel companies. I don't see a direct path between divesting and solving climate change, however, he finds it wonderful that students and colleges care so much about the future of our environment and committed to solving the climate problem. Mr Gates has come under intense pressure from climate change divestment groups to dump the Gates Foundations fossil fuel stocks. The Microsoft co-founder said he has no plans to sell off his oil-and-gas holdings, however, he plans a move to invest $2 billion his in research on renewable energy in a move to "bend the curve" on tackling climate change. He sees an urgent need for "high risk investments" in breakthrough technology to avoid a climate catastrophy.

The Gates foundation has an interesting position on divestment and climate change solutions. The philanthropic motives for Gates is clearly to solve some of the world's greatest problems. The divestment groups have been unsuccessful in convincing Gates to move stock investments but surely have brought climate change and renewable energy to the forefront of his thinking.

Looking back at what he did in the past once he became committed to an idea and changing the way things are done.... maybe this recent financial commitment in renewable energy will be enough to start a trend in the foundations thinking. Only time will tell.

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GENI is a co-founder of the MSCI Global Climate 100 Index (GC100). The GC100 includes 100 equally weighted companies that operate in three key areas, clean technology, renewable energy and future fuels. We believe this index will provide above average long term returns while being socially responsible with the constituents it includes.

http://www.msci.com/resources/factsheets/index_fact_sheet/msci-global-climate-index.pdosure Note:

Disclosure Note

Geni receives remuneration from the (GC 100) index

Larry Fontaine