Student divestment campaigners descend on London office of university body

Student pressure group People & Planet took to the offices of advocacy organisation Universities UK (UUK) on Thursday, in a campaign against British universities’ investments in fossil fuels companies.

Students had already delivered a petition to the organisation, signed by 15,000 people. People & Planet therefore descended on the UUK headquarters in Tavistock Square, London, in an effort to drive engagement on the issue.

The group is asking UUK to make a statement on the Fossil Free campaign, which is asking UK universities to drop the £5.2 billion they have invested in high-carbon energy companies, and put the case for divestment on the top of the agenda for the next meeting with vice-chancellors.

Miriam Wilson, a Glasgow University studenT, said, “As we continue to gather momentum, students are planning to take more action on their campuses and beyond.”

Earlier this month, academics from the University of Oxford publicly called for the school to ditch its £3.8 billion endowment of investments in fossil fuel companies and took part in a large demonstration in support of divestment.

The divestment movement has gained much support in the US among a growing number of universities, religious institutions and local authorities, with the city of Oakland announcing plans on Tuesday for it to become the fifth fossil-free city in California.

Photo: Fossil Free UK via Twitter

Further reading:

Oxford residents and students to march for fossil fuel divestment

UK universities have £5.2bn invested in the fossil fuel industry, report says

Students, universities and fossil fuels: divestment campaign comes to UK

Divestment: Stanford to shift investments in coal towards ‘sustainable’ solutions

15,000 students sign petition to get universities to divest from fossil fuels