To the board of Trinity College Dublin:

We write in the hope and belief that all readers of this letter,
particularly members of the board of Trinity College Dublin,
understand the urgent need for immediate action regarding
divestment from its holdings in the fossil fuel industry.
Climate change is the most pressing issue of our time. According
to calculations made in 2012 by the Carbon Tracker Think Tank
and the London School of Economics, in order to stay below the
2C limit, 80% of the current fossil fuel reserves must remain in
the ground. Thus, the potential for these becoming stranded
assets presents an increased financial risk to Trinitys investments.
Furthermore, the cynical behaviour of these fossil fuel companies,
in sabotaging progress on climate change, is in stark contrast with
the ethos and mission of Trinity College.
All over the world, students are leading the way in getting their
institutions to divest from fossil fuels. In September 2014 $50
billion had been divested from fossil fuels. By December 2015, the
figure stood at $3.4 trillion. This is the fastest growing grassroots
campaign on Earth, and it is time for Trinity to take its place on the
right side of history. Prestigious universities all over the world are
choosing to divest; from Stanford and Georgetown in the US, to
Oxford and LSE in the UK. Every week more and more universities
are seizing this opportunity and taking the brave decision to
divest. Now its Trinitys turn.
We wholeheartedly support the Fossil Free TCD student campaign
group and encourage students to join this fight for the future.
Trinity acted valiantly when it divested from apartheid. We trust
that this same bold and courageous spirit lives on in the great
halls of College Green. We implore Trinity to live up to its goal for a
low-carbon future, setting an urgent timetable to divest its
holdings in fossil fuel companies to support a clean energy future
for all.

Signed: