New York City’s most iconic building shined green this week, after the city boldly announced plans to divest from fossil fuels and that they filed a lawsuit against big oil for being a major contributor to climate change.
Mayor Bill de Blasio and Comptroller Scott Stringer plan to remove NYC’s $5 billion in securities from 190 fossil fuel companies. "The Empire State Building is shining green tonight because it's time to put our planet first. #DivestNY," de Blasio tweeted.
Additionally, the city filed a federal lawsuit against BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell, seeking $189 billion dollars in damages, alleging the industry hid the consequences of burning fossil fuels, for decades.
All over the world, the divestment movement is gaining more and more traction. In November, Norway announced they were selling off around $35 billion in oil and gas shares.
A city as iconic as New York will hopefully trigger a wave of action from other powerful nations and cities. It's a big win for the big apple, and the planet.
For the full story, head over to Eco Watch.