Climate activists attack Edinburgh University's stance on fossil fuels

A group of academics and climate activists from around the world has condemned the University of Edinburgh’s refusal to divest from fossil fuel companies, saying that its arguments for not doing so are cynical and wrong.

More than three-dozen people representing both international groups and those from places including the UK, Australia and Guyanahave signed a letter attacking the university’s stance and which was written in response to a comment piece by Prof Charlie Jeffery, Edinburgh’s senior vice principal.

In the article, published in connection with the Guardian’s Keep it in the Ground campaign, Jeffery argued that those calling for the university to remove investment money from fossil fuel companies risked harming less developed nations, and said technologies such as carbon capture could make using some fossil fuels less damaging.

Instead, Jeffery wrote, Edinburgh would not even withdraw from firms involved in projects such as coal and tar sands, as long as the companies were investing in emission-limiting technologies and there were no other energy sources available.

In response, the open letter says developing nations are most at risk from the effects of climate change. It reads: “Pitting fossil fuel divestment against the world’s poor is a cynical move which ignores the fact that the world’s poorest people are being impacted most severely by the effects of global warming, and will continue to suffer its worst impacts over the coming years.”

For the world to avoid the potentially devastating effects of a rise in average temperatures of above 2C, the letter argues, 82% of current coal reserves need to be left in the ground, with Canada’s tar sands almost untouched: “The University of Edinburgh’s decision to continue investment is indicative of its failure to recognise both these stark facts and the urgency of the issue.”

It adds: “Professor Jeffery’s statement also makes no mention of the human rights, increasing poverty or ill-health of communities on the front-line of fossil fuel extraction. Will the university continue to invest in fossil fuel companies whose ongoing activities devastate communities such as those in the Niger delta and Alberta, Canada?”

A group of students had been occupying part of an Edinburgh University building for 10 days to call for divestment, an action which ended on Saturday.

Other academic institutions are facing similar pressures. Also on Saturday nearly 70 Oxford University alumni symbolically handed back their degrees in protest, saying it needs to fully divest from all fossil fuel activities.