OPINION | Are my investments supporting fossil fuel companies? | Fin24

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It seems that most of us are supporting fossil-fuel companies financially. Are we happy to continue doing so? asks Jo-Anne Smetherham.

It seems that most of us are supporting fossil-fuel companies financially. Are we happy to continue doing so? asks Public anger towards Shell reached levels not seen before against any fossil-fuel company in South Africa, as the company geared up for its seismic blasts in the Wild Coast seas late last year.

My colleague David le Page challenged me to investigate my own investments to find out, and to document the process. After our conversation, I realised that in some deep, irksome part of my soul I was not keen. The investigation also promised to be an awful lot of admin, which I abhor. But the question had been asked and there's no point in doing damage in the dark. Better to find out the truth and, even if it takes time, start to shift things.

Sasol recently announced emission-reduction targets which might at face value seem encouraging but, in fact, fall far short of the real requirements outlined in the Paris treaty on climate change. Also, Sasol has a poor track record when it comes to fulfilling its previous environmental promises. I had some other Allan Gray funds that did not invest in equities - at least, not that my financially untrained eye could detect - so I glossed over those.

I have spotted the name of an investments ombud, so I shall try him or her next. Nevertheless, in the absence of proof to the contrary, I shall have to assume a substantial proportion of my Discovery investments - although managed by a company that jumped on the PR bandwagon to publicly claim its opposition to Shell's exploration plans - support at least one fossil-fuel company.

 

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zduke248 I believe the future will be the era of digital currency and I have a very substantial income from investing 10K

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