Council urged to act over pension fund investing in fossil fuels

By Maria Zaccaro, Local Democracy Reporter

Environmental campaigners at Southampton City Council meeting on 17 11 21 ldrsSouthampton City Council has been urged to act to tackle climate change after it was revealed that a pension fund for Hampshire councils, including Southampton, invested more than £100m in fossil fuels.

Ruth Magennis, a Southampton City Council employee, urged councillors to request that the Hampshire Pension Fund is advised by its members on its investment principles and how they are achieved.

Last month it was revealed that the Hampshire Pension Fund invested millions in coal, oil and gas despite local councils declaring a climate emergency.

The pension fund is used by Hampshire councils, including Southampton, as an investment vehicle.

But Ms Magennis, who is also a member of the Hampshire Pension Fund,  asked city council representatives to take action.

Speaking at a full council meeting held earlier this week she asked the city council to request that the pension fund produces a position statement on managing the fund’s portfolios to align with commitments to limit warming to 1.5C.

She also called for a strategy and a timetable to achieve the goal.

Environmental campaigners at Southampton City Council meeting on 17 11 21 ldrsEnvironmental campaigners at a Southampton City Council meeting on November 17, 2021

She told members she was speaking on behalf of Hampshire Pension Fund members concerned about climate change and climate related financial risk.

She said: “Please act now. Taking a position on this would not require much effort at all by Southampton City Council and could significantly contribute to shifting a huge amount of public money into investing in a liveable future in line with the declaration of climate emergency.”

Cllr John Hannides (Con) said the city council will use its seats on the Hampshire Pension Fund board to encourage investors to move towards “greener, more responsible investment”.

He added: “We believe that investment fund should look very carefully at investments that they make and using our seat on the Hampshire Pension Fund we will be very keen that they demonstrate responsible investment.”

A spokesperson for Hampshire Pension Fund previously said the body has taken a number of actions to reduce the carbon footprint of its investments.

Several campaigners attended the meeting to support Ms Magennis and told councillors to “stop playing party politics and do something”.

Cllr Lisa Mitchell (Lab) asked civic chiefs to pledge to make Southampton net zero by 2035.

But her motion was not passed.

Council leader Daniel Fitzhenry (Con) told councillors the 2035 target was not achievable.

He said the administration was committed to have an aspiration to reach the net zero target earlier than 2050.

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