O'Malley supports eliminating investment in fossil fuels.

[elleng]

'Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley said Wednesday he supports college fossil fuel divestment campaigns.

The former Maryland governor has made fighting climate change one of the centerpieces of his campaign. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is the only other Democratic presidential candidate who has announced support for divestment campaigns.

When asked by a student at University of Colorado if he supports divestment campaigns taking place at campuses around the country, O'Malley said, "Yes. Yeah, I'm for that."

O'Malley was in Boulder on the same day as the third Republican presidential primary debate.

Divestment campaigns typically take place on college campuses, with activists aiming to get their schools to withdraw their investments in the fossil fuel industry. The campaigns are meant to send a message that investing in gas and coal companies is a risky move.

However, academics and industry observers have said divestment campaigns are ineffective and can actually go against what the activists are trying to do, which is decarbonize the economy. Divestment rarely hurts oil companies and can remove climate-conscious investors from shareholders meetings.

Anti-fossil fuels group 350, which has been active against the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, pointed out that Hillary Clinton, the Democrats' presidential front-runner, has been silent on divestment campaigns. The group also pointed out Clinton has not responded to calls to not accept donations from the fossil fuel industry, which Sanders and O'Malley have done.'

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/omalley-supports-eliminating-investment-in-fossil-fuels/article/2575176

[bigtree]

1. k&r

When asked by a student at University of Colorado if he supports divestment campaigns taking place at campuses around the country, O'Malley said, "Yes. Yeah, I'm for that."

[Scootaloo]

2. Really now?

say. I don't suppose he's got a position on Israel / Palestine I could look at?

[askew]

3. He took some heat for saying both sides were to blame in the current rise in

violence between Israel/Palestine. No other Dem presidential candidate would dare say that.

http://jewishinsider.com/4543/omalley-both-sides-share-responsibility-for-violence-in-israel/

“Like everyone here, I have been deeply concerned about the recent developments in Jerusalem and cities across Israel and the West Bank,” the former Maryland Governor said. “We’ve lost 50 Palestinians in recent violence, many of them teenagers – their entire lives before them. We’ve lost 8 Israelis, including an American couple shot in front of their young children. Some people in this room have family members who’ve been affected, no doubt, some of them for generations… all of them are brothers and sisters, and all of them leave behind bereaved families with holes in their hearts.”
“This senseless violence produces nothing but tragedy and more distrust, and it does not move the people and the parties closer to a peaceful and long-lasting resolution,” said O’Malley. “Both sides have to take steps to end this violence and address the underlying cause of it. Both sides have to make the resumption of discussion, talk and dialogue to include a fair, safe and adequate access to sites in Jerusalem and elsewhere. Provocative actions on either side must be avoided.”
“We can never give up on peace. As a nation, we have a unique calling I believe to always be about waging peace, especially when it seems hopeless, and especially when it seems like there will never be a breakthrough,” he stressed. “I am a strong supporter of the two-state solution, which would meet not only Israel’s critical security needs, not only affirm the dignity of the Palestinian people to live as a free people in an independent state of their own, but it is also in the best security interest of the United States of America in this world that all of us share.”

[artislife]

5. He's not timid! nt

[artislife]

4. This is great

I hope it pushes the party this way firmly and not just for the campaign.

I really fear for the future of this planet. The fossil fuel industry needs to lose its power like yesterday. As large as this country is and as influential as it can be, we could lead the world. We should have led the world 20 years ago.