Fossil Fuel Divestment - The Quiz

How much you know about divestment from fossil fuels and Princeton's endowment?

Divest Princeton is a coalition calling on Princeton University to divest its endowment from fossil fuel companies and reinvest responsibly. Divestment is complex, so we've pulled together some key facts and created a quick, anonymous quiz. Test your knowledge and help us work towards climate justice and a green future for the planet, Princeton and the Class of 2050. At the end, you'll receive your score along with the right answers and explanations.

P.S. If you like to study ahead of time, check out divestprinceton.com

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* 1. An endowment is a chunk of money that has been donated to a non-profit like a university or a foundation and then invested. Dividends are then used to fund their activities. How big is Princeton's endowment?

Teeny tiny.

$16 billion, making it bigger than Oxford's but smaller than Harvard's.

$26 billion, making it the 5th largest in the world in value and the largest per capita in the world.

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* 2. Complete this sentence: Divestment from fossil fuels will hurt the University’s endowment___________________".

a great deal, so might be risky.

a moderate amount, but the endowment can take it.

not at all. It will probably help.

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* 3. Which of the following is true regarding Princeton's partnerships with fossil fuel companies?

Princeton would never accept research funding from fossil fuel companies.

Our proposal recommends that fossil fuel company partnerships be phased out as they expire.

Fossil fuel companies have contributed over $30 million to Princeton since 2000 - an irreplaceable amount of money.

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* 4. Rather than divesting, Princeton should engage with fossil fuel companies from within and help them become better corporate citizens.

True

False

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* 5. Which of the following statements about divestment is FALSE?

Shell said that divestment has a "serious, adverse effect" on its bottom line.

Before filing for bankruptcy, coal giant Peabody stated that the fossil fuel divestment movement “could significantly affect demand for our products.”

Most institutions that divested from South African apartheid have come to regret their decision.

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* 6. How would divestment affect Princeton's Sustainability Action Plan (SAP)?

It would align perfectly with the SAP and strengthen its impact.

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* 7. Which of these 5 Ivy League endowments had the worst financial return last year?

Princeton

Brown

Dartmouth

Harvard

Yale

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* 8. Which of these statements about divestment is FALSE?

In 2018, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said limiting global warming to 1.5°C would require rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society.

At 1.5°C of warming, coral reefs will decline by 70-90 percent. All reefs will be lost with 2ºC warming.

Global net emissions of CO2 need to fall by 45 percent by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.

Business as usual is a good plan for the next decade.

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* 9. Which of the following statements about the Undergraduate Student Government's 2020 election are TRUE?

17 out of 19 USG candidates endorsed divestment.

The proposal to support divestment passed with 82% voting YES.

The turnout rate was the highest in a winter election in the past 6 years.

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* 10. Which should be the next university to divest from fossil fuels?

Oxford

Cambridge

Georgetown

Princeton