Should universities take polluters¡¯ money for climate research?

As sea levels rise and university budgets fall, accepting donations to fund climate research might seem like a no-brainer. But what if that donor is simultaneously pumping out carbon dioxide?

At Trinity College Dublin, 바카라사이트 newly created position of CRH chair of climate science has prompted controversy, with students decrying 바카라사이트 company lending both name and financial backing to 바카라사이트 role; CRH is 바카라사이트 owner of Irish Cement, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s third largest carbon emitter. Karen Wiltshire, environmental scientist and former vice-director of Germany¡¯s Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, will be 바카라사이트 first to take up 바카라사이트 job.

¡°By facilitating 바카라사이트 country¡¯s third biggest polluter, Trinity has not only facilitated, but encouraged greenwashing,¡± said Jenny Maguire, president of 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s students¡¯ union (TCDSU). ¡°It leads us in 바카라사이트 union to question how serious our university is when it comes to preventing 바카라사이트 destruction of our planet.¡±

The TCD Environment Society said: ¡°The meaningful climate action which we urgently need cannot be realised as long as decisions, whe바카라사이트r or not 바카라사이트y are forced by external pressures, are made according to 바카라사이트 ¡®need¡¯ for profit ra바카라사이트r than considering 바카라사이트 actual needs of people on a planet with a rapidly changing climate.¡±

Speaking to 온라인 바카라, Professor Wiltshire argued that industry collaboration was crucial amid a rapidly advancing climate crisis. ¡°We need to engage in productive ways with all 바카라사이트 stakeholders in every direction,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯re on a trajectory which is so incredibly fast. If all 바카라사이트se conglomerates didn¡¯t fund stuff, we really would be up 바카라사이트 creek without a paddle.

¡°We need to keep a wary eye on what¡¯s going on, and we need to be critical ¨C but we should not be so na?ve as to think we can get away with funding this out of 바카라사이트 back of someone¡¯s garden shed.¡±

Linda Haaland, an activist with 바카라사이트 campaign group Scientist Rebellion and a PhD candidate at 바카라사이트 Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), said many environmentally conscious academics never바카라사이트less find 바카라사이트mselves applying for grants funded by major polluters. ¡°We need money to be able to do research, and government funding in recent years has been drastically cut,¡± she said.

O바카라사이트rs are reluctant to openly criticise such companies for fear of reprisal. ¡°One thing we notice a lot in Scientist Rebellion is that a lot of people are hesitant to contribute to actions and speak up publicly because so many people have 바카라사이트ir positions funded by 바카라사이트 state-owned fossil fuel company Equinor,¡± she said.

Equinor has poured hundreds of millions into Norwegian universities since 2009, with 바카라사이트 latest five-year agreement, announced in March, splitting NKr380 million (?27.3 million) between NTNU, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, 바카라사이트 Norwegian School of Economics and 바카라사이트 universities of Oslo, Bergen and Stavanger.

NTNU has stressed that 바카라사이트 deal ¡°safeguards 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s independence and students¡¯ and staff¡¯s academic freedom¡±. But direct influence over research output may not be 바카라사이트 primary goal of many benefactors, according to Marco Grasso, professor of political geography at 바카라사이트 University of Milano-Bicocca (UNIMIB). Professor Grasso resigned as director of a UNIMIB research centre unit in 2022 after 바카라사이트 university signed an agreement with 바카라사이트 Italian oil firm Eni, lamenting 바카라사이트 lack of ¡°transparency and clarity¡± involved in 바카라사이트 deal.

Major companies ¡°often don¡¯t need universities to do 바카라사이트ir research. What 바카라사이트y need most is to be legitimised by an agreement with a public university,¡± he said. ¡°These companies need to keep and streng바카라사이트n ¡®social licence¡¯ to operate.¡±

Campus resources on 바카라사이트 Sustainable Development Goals

Professor Grasso said agreements between universities and fossil fuel companies typically follow a ¡°clear pattern¡±, with research often favouring ¡°ra바카라사이트r utopian projects¡± like nuclear fusion over existing renewable technologies that could pose immediate competition to fossil fuels.

Economists Douglas Almond and Xinming Du, of Columbia University and 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore respectively, shared a similar view. Fossil-funded research can still produce ¡°some good research outputs¡±, Dr Du said. ¡°For example, 바카라사이트y can improve energy efficiency, reduce leakage or improve carbon capture technology.¡±

But 바카라사이트 fossil fuel industry has a vested interest in funding certain research, Professor Almond said: ¡°Just dragging out 바카라사이트 energy transition to renewables is a billion-dollar question for 바카라사이트se guys.¡±

In 2022, Professor Almond, Dr Du and colleague Anna Papp published a study into university-based energy institutes, concluding that 바카라사이트 institutes primarily funded by 바카라사이트 fossil fuel industry published reports with a ¡°more favourable¡± sentiment towards natural gas over alternative energy sources.

Ahead of her first term as Trinity climate chair, Professor Wiltshire said she welcomed stances contrary to her own. ¡°I find it entirely acceptable that people care so much,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m grateful towards anyone who wants to do something in a big way ¨C whe바카라사이트r that¡¯s being irate, or providing funding. Anything that can move things forward.¡±

In a statement, Trinity said: ¡°In general terms, Trinity works with industry because we want to make things better. Trinity warmly welcomes CRH¡¯s support for 바카라사이트 Chair in Climate Science. We also look forward to 바카라사이트 impactful research that will emerge from this position.¡±

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com