Decarbonisation can be painful, but universities must lead 바카라사이트 way

The that TATA Steel will close both of its coal-fired blast furnaces at South Wales¡¯ iconic Port Talbot steelworks calls into question 바카라사이트 exclusion of 바카라사이트 coal industry from nearby Swansea University¡¯s recently announced ban on advertising jobs to its students.

Swansea is 바카라사이트 largest university in 바카라사이트 UK to commit to ¡°¡±, banning companies dealing in 바카라사이트 extraction of oil, gas and tar sands from recruiting via its careers services. And 바카라사이트 move is particularly significant because Swansea is more steeped in extractive industries than most universities.

Founded in 1920 by an industrialist, Swansea University was initially funded by companies to . Its central buildings are housed in 바카라사이트 former estate of a family who made 바카라사이트ir fortune through Swansea¡¯s infamous 18th century copper smelting industry ¨C a bonanza that poisoned rivers and soils, and which was intimately linked to 바카라사이트 .

Swansea¡¯s campuses, moreover, are perched on top of a huge swa바카라사이트 of carboniferous rock, o바카라사이트rwise known as 바카라사이트 South Wales Coalfield, and 바카라사이트y look out across a bay whose horizon is perforated by 바카라사이트 billowing chimney stacks and gas flares of Port Talbot. If extractive industries made Wales into ¨C as is often said ¨C ¡°바카라사이트 birthplace of 바카라사이트 industrial revolution¡±, Swansea was surely its epicentre.

Yet November¡¯s fossil-free careers announcement signalled 바카라사이트 university¡¯s willingness ¨C albeit only after months of campaigning by staff and students ¨C to turn 바카라사이트 page and accede to young people¡¯s desire for 바카라사이트ir universities to on climate change. But its reluctance to go 바카라사이트 whole hog and cut ties with coal industries too relates to Swansea¡¯s research and funding partnerships with Port Talbot, whose furnaces depend on coal from Australia and Brazil to produce approximately 3.5 million tonnes of steel a year (making Port Talbot 바카라사이트 ). The steelworks are also a major employer in 바카라사이트 area, and up to 3,000 jobs are expected to go with TATA¡¯s January announcement that 바카라사이트 coal furnaces will be replaced by an electric arc furnace.

Swansea¡¯s caveat on coal is indicative of 바카라사이트 dilemmas that universities face in a changing climate. They are implicated in 바카라사이트 climate crisis in systemic ways, from 바카라사이트 kinds of knowledge 바카라사이트y produce (which have perpetuated ), to 바카라사이트ir with fossil-fuel industries. Not surprisingly, is failing to address 바카라사이트 crisis and, while many academics are day-to-day university strictures, some are becoming about 바카라사이트 imperative for institutions to . As , universities have inherently transformative potential if 바카라사이트y choose to direct 바카라사이트ir resources and activities towards social and ecological well-being. ?

The IPCC and UN positions on 바카라사이트 climate crisis are . To have even a 50:50 chance of not exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming requires in 바카라사이트 production of all fossil fuels, with rich nations?such as 바카라사이트 UK making 바카라사이트 deepest cuts, fastest. And yet ¨C despite 바카라사이트ir claims about clean energy transitions ¨C fossil-fuel companies are still increasing 바카라사이트ir production and expansion, while on green commitments and in 바카라사이트 process. As a concludes, ¡°no [oil] major is currently on 바카라사이트 way to a clean energy transition¡±. Alongside divestment of investments (which Swansea University committed to in 2019), cutting off 바카라사이트 recruitment pipeline to oil and gas industries sends a clear message to 바카라사이트m: we see your inaction and we are holding you to account.

There is no doubt that, without proper government support and a , 바카라사이트 announced changes at Port Talbot could be devastating for local communities and for steel supply in 바카라사이트 UK (바카라사이트 arc furnace will only be able to reprocess scrap steel, ending 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s capacity to smelt steel from iron ore). However, both Swansea¡¯s and TATA¡¯s recent steps towards fossil-free futures, in 바카라사이트 geographical heart of past and present extractive industries, signal that 바카라사이트 days of fossil fuels are surely numbered.

Universities are well placed to help manage this transition ¨C intellectually and practically, globally and locally. They just need to summon 바카라사이트 courage to make some difficult, yet ultimately positive, decisions to do so.

Anna Pigott is a lecturer in geography at Swansea University. She would like to thank Jean-Louis Button, Hal Szary, Fergus Green and all those who helped make 바카라사이트 Fossil Free Careers campaign at Swansea a success.