Extinction Rebellion protestors forced Nottinghamshire Pension Committee meeting to be suspended

Extinction Rebellion protestors dug up a small section of lawn outside County Hall ahead of the Nottinghamshire Pension Committee.

They argue that the fund has £250 million invested in fossil fuel-related companies, and that not divesting could have negative financial, as well as environmental, implications.

However other estimates have put the figure closer to £320 million.

The Pension Committee manages a £5.4 billion fund on behalf of around 138,000 current and former council and public sector employees from Nottinghamshire and the city.

Nottingham City Council, which has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2028, has expressed its wish for the fund to divest.

It is understood work is ongoing behind the scenes to look at the financial implications of divesting.

It is also understood a motion will be put to the county council’s full council meeting on Thursday, March 26, by the Ashfield Independent councillors calling for the leaders of Nottinghamshire County Council to commit to divesting.

A group of around 40 Extinction Rebellion protesters gathered in the public gallery at County Hall, and stayed silent until around 10 minutes into the meeting, at which point they unfurled a large banner over the balcony of the public gallery. It read: “Your inaction threatens our future. Divest now.”

They then began to play an air raid warning sound through a loudspeaker, warning of a ‘climate emergency’.

Coun Sally Longford, deputy leader of Nottingham City Council, said: “I am calling on the Nottinghamshire Local Government Pension Fund to stop investing in fossil fuels to show our commitment to tackling climate change.

“This is not only an environmentally sound stance, but increasingly financially sensible too.

“Having declared a climate and ecological emergency, and our intention to be carbon neutral by 2028, the use of fossil fuels and investment in them is in conflict with the city council’s policy.”