Staff and students protest University’s fossil fuel investment

Staff and students protested in the piazza against the University’s current investments in the fossil fuel industry on February 13.

The protesters also submitted an open letter, with the signatures of 100 members of staff, to university management. The open letter calls for the University to cut ties with the fossil fuel industry and reinvest in clean energies.

The online petition addressed to vice-chancellor Nigel Thrift has over 1,330 signatures. It calls on the University to remove fossil fuel providers from its investment portfolio and support a clean energy future.

The petition also takes issue with the honorary degrees the University has given to fossil fuel industry CEOs, and the acceptance of sponsorship and advertising from fossil fuel companies.

The majority of the coal, gas and oil reserves left in the world are held by 200 publicly-traded companies. These providers are the ones protesters are pressuring institutions to stop supporting.

Across the UK, the Fossil Fuel Campaign has been progressing successfully, with Glasgow and Bedfordshire committing to fossil fuel divestment.

The protest and petition at Warwick formed part of Global Divestment day, which saw 300 events in 48 countries.

In the UK, 31 towns and cities participated, including 22 universities. Miriam Wilson, Fossil Free Campaign coordinator at People and Planet said: “UK universities invest an estimated £5.2 billion in fossil fuels, including in some of the worst offending companies in the world, such as BP and Shell.

“Today, students are saying it’s time to ditch this technology of the past and start re-investing in a liveable future.”

Three members of staff made speeches at the rally: Mike Niblett (Centre for Caribbean Studies) Jonathan Skinner (English) and Jonathan Menary (Life Sciences). SU president, Cat Turhan, also attended and pledged her support to the campaign.

Dan Goss, a final-year Maths student, stated: “Our university continues to produce research demonstrating that climate change needs to be taken seriously, and yet we offer financial and social backing to the key polluters. Warwick should be leading the way in withdrawing that support.”