It depends on the goal. The economic impact of divestment is questionable at best. Fossil fuel companies are multibillion-dollar enterprises, and any shares lost from divestment would likely be recouped by other investors. But divestment advocates say it’s less about economics and more about morality, principles, and raising awareness.
Climate change can often seem like an overwhelming and abstract challenge; divestment offers a more tangible and immediate way of addressing that challenge. It’s also something that a diverse range of people and institutions can rally around in solidarity. In the case of apartheid, divestment is widely credited as playing a key role in bringing the racist regime to an end.
