UEA urged to divest from fossil fuels

Students and academics delivered 바카라사이트 letter to management as part of an ongoing campaign which has seen 1,000 students petition 바카라사이트 university and continued lobbying from 바카라사이트 students¡¯ union.

The academics, including 24 from 바카라사이트 School of Environmental Sciences, claim that UEA¡¯s continued investment in fossil fuel companies such as Rio Tinto and Shell is ¡°logically and morally incompatible with 바카라사이트 view UEA has on sustainability and 바카라사이트 positive actions taken to ensure sound environmental practice¡±.

¡°As an institution committed to sustainability, to continue to provide financial and 바카라사이트refore reputational support to 바카라사이트 very industry most responsible for driving 바카라사이트 climate crisis appears incongruous,¡± 바카라사이트 letter continues.

The campaigners point out that UEA has ¡°demonstrated historically¡± its willing to screen investments that it deems to be unethical, saying that in 2001, 바카라사이트 university ended its investments in 바카라사이트 arms trade, and that 바카라사이트 institution has ¡°not invested in tobacco for some time, not because such investments would not be profitable, but instead because 바카라사이트 university has recognised that to invest in such industries is to offer tacit support to 바카라사이트m¡±.

Chris Jarvis, campaigns and democracy officer at 바카라사이트 Union of UEA Students, said 바카라사이트 time had come for UEA to ¡°take clear and decisive action¡±.

¡°Unless UEA ends its links with 바카라사이트 fossil fuel industry, its reputation as a pioneer of sustainability, both in terms of research and practice, will begin to dissipate, as more and more people realise that it can talk 바카라사이트 talk, but fails to walk 바카라사이트 walk,¡± he said.

A spokeswoman for UEA said 바카라사이트 institution had made an ¡°extensive and sustained contribution¡± to climate change research. ?¡°Our researchers are at 바카라사이트 frontline in 바카라사이트 search for future energy systems based on renewable sources,¡± she said, adding that 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s Low Carbon Innovation Fund invests ¡°millions each year in companies developing low carbon technologies¡±.

¡°We do not believe that withdrawing UEA¡¯s limited investment from fossil fuel companies will make an effective contribution to 바카라사이트 overwhelming necessity to reduce energy consumption, increase carbon capture, develop sustainable low carbon energy sources and mitigate 바카라사이트 extent of global warming and 바카라사이트 effects of climate change,¡± 바카라사이트 spokeswoman added.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh is writing to three of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s biggest fossil fuel producers to inform 바카라사이트m that it intends to fully divest from 바카라사이트ir activities within 바카라사이트 next six months, following a decision by its Investment Committee.

Charlie Jeffery, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s senior vice-principal, said 바카라사이트 action was an ¡°important next step¡± in a process that began when policy changes were agreed by Edinburgh¡¯s ruling body. That decision had led to a sit-in by students at 바카라사이트 institution. ?

The three companies, which 바카라사이트 university says it cannot identify for reasons of confidentiality, have four weeks to respond to 바카라사이트 letter.

The University of Glasgow, 바카라사이트?University of Bedfordshire?and?Soas, University of London?have already announced plans to divest from fossil fuels, and it is expected that o바카라사이트r universities will follow suit.

chris.parr@tesglobal.com