Universities are failing students on the climate crisis

Divestment now — Rather than syphoning off students’ exorbitant fees to fossil fuels and arms companies, universities have a duty to set an example, writes NUS Vice President Hillary Gyebi-Ababio.

Last week, People and Planet – a student network fighting for climate, worker and migrant justice from UK universities – published their annual university sustainability league table, which showed that over half of higher education institutions aren’t set to meet their emissions targets. While a handful of universities have made progress, these results were deeply disappointing, and showed that much more needs to be done. 

Divestment is a critical and central part of this. One of the categories on which universities are evaluated is ethical investments and banking, and they scored a shocking average mark of just 31 per cent across the sector. Over half (51 per cent) of universities had made no commitment to removing fossil fuels from their investment policies, and many more have no policies when it comes to funding arms companies. 

Education providers have a social responsibility, not only in designing their curriculum and its delivery, but also in how they choose to spend the funding allocated to them. They should not be contributing to flooding, droughts, disease, conflict, and the continuation of colonialism across the world. At NUS, we wrote an open letter to universities and colleges urging them to divest from colonial companies, and we encourage students, parents, academics, organisations and members of the public to sign it with us. 

As well as halting investment of institutional resources into unethical private companies, educational institutions must stop partnering with companies responsible for upholding colonialism and imperialism. This would look like signing up to the Fossil Free Careers campaign, which calls for companies with poor environmental track records to be excluded from attending recruitment fairs. Committing to these practices isn’t just the right thing to do, it would also allow for a wholesale redistribution of their resources (and our fees), meaning more money available to fund anti-racist initiatives and greater opportunities for ethical employers. 

As a home to students, social space and workplace, campuses have the potential to change the long-term habits of thousands. Education plays a central role in creating the conditions our society is built upon. This is its purpose – not to make profit. 

It’s not only educational institutions who must do more. For all their warm words around COP26, the government needs to stop its hypocrisy and take some responsibility. It was the Tories, after all, who ended the requirement that forced universities to provide information on sustainability to the Higher Education Statistics Agency. This has distanced universities from their responsibility. They should reverse this ludicrous decision to weaken climate reporting, and make publishing this data mandatory once again. 

Students pay exorbitant fees, which shouldn’t be syphoned off to fossil fuels and arms companies. That’s not too much to ask. We have been calling on the education sector to break their links with companies responsible for upholding colonialism and imperialism for years. The planet doesn’t have time. The people don’t have time. Universities and colleges must act now. 

My generation stands amongst those who must sort out a crisis created by the endless pursuit of capitalist success spearheaded by previous generations and governments. Their failure to address the historic injustice of climate catastrophe means that there’s even more pressure on non-state actors to step up.

Sign the NUS’ open letter encouraging universities and colleges to break their financial links with colonialism and imperialism. 

Hillary Gyebi-Ababio is UK Vice President of the National Union of Students. Follow her on Twitter.

Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.


Ad

Latest on Huck

Elderly man with glasses, white hair, and suit; young woman with long brown hair playing electric guitar on stage in green jacket.
Activism

Bernie Sanders introduces Clairo at Coachella, urging young Americans to “stand up for justice”

Coachella charmed — The Vermont Senator praised the singer-songwriter for her efforts in raising awareness of women’s rights issues and Gaza.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Vans

The Changing Face Of Brooklyn, New York’s Most Colourful Borough

After three decades spent capturing stories around the world, Magnum Photographer Alex Webb finally decided to return home to Brooklyn – a place that champions chaos, diversity and community spirit.

Written by: Alex Webb / Magnum Photos

Black and white image of subway carriage interior with sleeping man seated on bench
Culture

The mundane bliss of New York’s subways in the ’70s

NYC Passengers 1976-1981 — During a very different decade in NYC, which bounced between rich creativity and sketchiness, photographer Joni Sternbach captured the idiosyncratic isolation found on its rail networks.

Written by: Miss Rosen

A man playing a guitar whilst a horse stands beside him in a rocky, moonlit landscape.
Music

Analogue Appreciation: lullahush

Ithaca — In an ever more digital, online world, we ask our favourite artists about their most cherished pieces of physical culture. Today, it’s Irish retro-futurist lullahush.

Written by: lullahush

Two people of unidentified gender intimately embracing and kissing on a bed.
Culture

Spyros Rennt captures connection and tenderness among Berlin’s queer youth

Intertwined — In the Greek photographer’s fourth photobook, he lays out spreads of togetherness among his friends and the German capital’s LGBTQ+ party scene.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Surfers against sewage protest box floating in water with people swimming around it.
© Alex Brown / Surfers Against Sewage
Sport

The rebellious roots of Cornwall’s surfing scene

100 years of waveriding — Despite past attempts to ban the sport from beaches, surfers have remained as integral, conservationist presences in England’s southwestern tip. A new exhibition in Falmouth traces its long history in the area.

Written by: Ella Glossop

Signup to our newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter to informed with the cutting edge of sport, music and counterculture, featuring personal takes on the state of media and pop culture from Emma Garland, former Digital Editor of Huck, exclusive interviews, recommendations and more.

Please wait...

Accessibility Settings

Text

Applies the Open Dyslexic font, designed to improve readability for individuals with dyslexia.

Applies a more readable font throughout the website, improving readability.

Underlines links throughout the website, making them easier to distinguish.

Adjusts the font size for improved readability.

Visuals

Reduces animations and disables autoplaying videos across the website, reducing distractions and improving focus.

Reduces the colour saturation throughout the website to create a more soothing visual experience.

Increases the contrast of elements on the website, making text and interface elements easier to distinguish.