The Climate and Fiscal Case for Fossil Fuel Divestment in Illinois

December 11, 2025 6:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join 350 Chicago in welcoming the Climate Safe Pensions Illinois Coalition for a special webinar to discuss the Illinois State Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign. The Climate Safe Pension Illinois Coalition will discuss the climate and fiscal case for the state of Illinois to follow the path of fossil fuel divestment.

The climate crisis is unfolding more quickly than anticipated, with faster warming and more severe weather events, hastening the need to transition away from fossil fuels to ensure warming does not exceed life-sustaining temperatures.

In turn, the climate crisis increases the financial risk of investing in fossil fuel industries. Economists and actuaries warn that the economic models which institutional investors rely upon are not keeping pace with the rapidly deteriorating conditions - leaving investors holding fossil fuel assets & debt that may swiftly decline in value.

Currently, fossil fuel assets provide the lowest financial returns of any economic sector on the S&P 500 Index. Additionally, fossil fuel investments are the most volatile asset class, giving unreliable returns to investors. The state of Illinois invests approximately $3.5 billion of retirement funds in fossil fuel assets for Illinois state employees. Held in the 5 major pensions the state funds, risky fossil fuel investments jeopardize the future financial security of Illinois state employees while potentially causing taxpayers to make up financial shortfalls as society transitions to a clean energy economy.

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