Companies planning to unearth the $8-billion worth of coal reserves sitting beneath our feet are being targeted by an ever-increasing group of investors protesting the greenhouse gases that the burning of the coal will produce.

Peabody Energy Corp. (BUT), the biggest U.S. coal producer, was only one of 24 coal and oil-sands companies to be sold out since July by Storebrand ASA (STB), a manager of assets from Norway worth $74 billion, after announcing a plan to decrease fossil-fuel holdings. Norway’s opposition Labour Party, in fact, proposed a ban on the country’s $800 billion sovereign wealth fund from coal investments.

The head of sustainable investments in Oslo, said on a telephone interview that they’ve perhaps “hit some kind of nerve in the debate,”and that “hopefully, other investors will be acting along the same lines. There could be an interesting parallel to tobacco.”

Over 70 investors have teamed up against fossil-fuel industries on the phenomenon of climate change and the push against coal is only one of the steps they’re taking. The push relies on the 1990s anti-tobacco movements and is fast receiving support from unexpected partners. The 28-nation International Energy Agency that promotes energy security has been advocating a limit on the release of heat-trapping gases.

“Investors make decisions everyday on buying and selling stock and we’re confident that the strong long-term outlook for coal and Peabody’s specific investment appeal will carry the day,” said Vic Svec, a representative of Peabody Energy. “Coal has been the fastest-growing major fuel around the world for the past decade and is expected to surpass oil as the world’s largest energy source.”