Edinburgh, UK — On Wednesday 13 May, students at the University of Edinburgh have staged a sit-in in a university management building in response to what they describe as the university’s ‘reckless and irresponsible failure’ in voting to maintain its investments in fossil fuels.
The students say that they will remain as long as the university refuses to make tangible commitments to ‘stop funding climate change’ by divesting from fossil fuels over the next five years.
Yesterday the University’s governing body surprised campaigners by failing to follow the University of Glasgow, SOAS and the University of Bedfordshire in withdrawing their funds from fossil fuels. The University Court claims it will use the ‘leverage of [their] investments to bring about change that reduces carbon emissions in the fossil fuels and other sectors.’
However, campaigners have long been sceptical about the extent to which such engagement can bring about change at all. Bill McKibben, of the environmental group 350.org, points out that ‘companies are unlikely to engage in action that will put them out of business’, citing BP’s recent decision to pull out of renewables.
This decision comes in response to a three year campaign led by the Edinburgh University People & Planet student group which has been calling for the University to divest from the 200 fossil fuel companies that hold the vast majority of the world’s oil, coal and gas reserves.
Kirsty Haigh, student campaigner with Edinburgh University People & Planet and NUS Scotland Vice President Communities said:
“The fact that our University has chosen to continue funding environmental degradation and human suffering shows that they care far more about profit than our futures. Saying there may be divestment in the future from certain companies if they fail to meet criteria around their carbon emissions is no real commitment and shows the University are refusing to acknowledge their role in devastating climate change.”
Eleanor Dow, student campaigner with Edinburgh University People & Planet said:
“Caveats on divestment are simply not good enough and are simply a way of delaying any decision even further. For years the University have been engaging with companies and it hasn’t worked so far and so it’s ignorant or at best naive to suggest this time it will work.”
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Notes to editor
The students’ statement on why they are occupying is as follows:
* The University of Edinburgh have not committed to divestment.
* The process surrounding the decision to not divest has been extremely un-transparent.
* The decision not to divest has been contrary to the will of students and staff.
* The process surrounding the decision to not divest has not delivered any immediate results.
* Edinburgh People & Planet, the initiators of the campaign, have been excluded from all working group meetings and announcements.
* We’ve had three years of debate and empty promises, the time for action is yesterday.
Contact
Interviews and photos available from Edinburgh students.
Edinburgh University People & Planet can be contacted on peopleandplaneted@gmail.com
Kirsty Haigh, Edinburgh student campaigner and NUS Scotland VP Communities
Email: kirsty.haigh@nus-scotland.org.
Phone: +44 7950 671 772
Eleanor Dow, Edinburgh student campaigner
Email: ele.dow@gmail.com
Phone: +44 777 043 3737