Over three-quarters of UK universities pledge to divest from fossil fuels

Out of 149 UK universities, 116 have now publicly committed to divest from fossil fuels, marking a record shift in the industry.

Across the past 11 years, student activism groups such as People & Planet have been working to cut down universities’ connections to fossil fuels.

This is an initiative that activist groups have always been pushing and advocating for. Recent developments have shown that some previously intangible goals are now coming to fruition.

Some of the most recent universities to adopt “Fossil Free” initiatives include: Birmingham City University, Glasgow School of Art, Royal Northern College of Music, and the University of Bradford.

The addition of the four latest universities means that £17.7 billion-worth of investments are now outside of the fossil fuel industry in the UK

In 2015, the University of Warwick was an early adopter of these sustainability practices, pledging to divest £1 million from fossil fuel companies within a year.

The addition of the four latest universities means that £17.7 billion-worth of investments are now outside of the fossil fuel industry in the UK.

Decisions like these reflect a wider trend to reject fossil fuels within universities across the nation. This is also something that the rest of Europe is currently weighing up as it decides on the best approach going forward.

According to data from mainland Europe in 2021, only 15 higher learning institutions have committed to any kind of major divestment.

UK universities’ sustainability initiatives are putting the country at the forefront of efforts to hold educational institutions accountable in the face of growing calls to switch to renewables.

The days of UK universities profiteering from investments in this neo-colonial industry are over

Laura Clayson, Campaign Manager for Climate Justice at People & Planet

Laura Clayson, Campaign Manager for Climate Justice at People & Planet, said of the milestone: “That we can celebrate this today is down to the generations of students and staff that have fought for justice in connection with impacted communities.”

She added: “The days of UK universities profiteering from investments in this neo-colonial industry are over.”

The work is not yet done, however.

Alex Leitch, a student at the University of Exeter, told The Boar: “In terms of UK universities, [ Exeter ] is one of the biggest receivers of fossil fuel funding. It received £14.7 million of funding from Shell in 2021.”

Leitch added that he believes that “students who agitate and push for better climate policies” are the reason behind the marked transition towards more environmentally sustainable practices at the university in recent years.

Groups like People & Planet intend to keep campaigning until all UK universities put forward pledges and take robust action to remove endowments from the fossil fuel industry.

This may take a number of years to put into effect, but it is hoped that further change will be spurred by growing calls for transparency regarding university funding.