Divestment indecision

Monday 21st May – D-Day for the University's divestment decision…or so we believed.

Following years of campaigning and the escalation of protests over recent months, Cambridge Zero Carbon Society held a rally outside Senate House this morning to apply pressure to the University Council. Tensions rose as one man held an anti-divestment protest, calling the zero carbon plea "undemocratic".

Yet, despite all of the hype culminating in this morning's meeting, the "University Council is continuing its deliberations". Rather than coming to a definitive conclusion, an extra meeting has been scheduled – the date of which is yet to be confirmed, though it will definitely be before next month's regularly scheduled meeting.

A University spokesperson has said: “The Council welcomes the final report of the Divestment Working Group, and agrees that the University must use its position to provide global leadership in the transition to a carbon-neutral future. The Council did not complete its deliberations on the report’s recommendations during today’s meeting, but will return to provide a detailed response urgently.”

Cambridge Zero Carbon Society sees this as a "success". "University Council today rejected a hard-line anti-divestment proposed “council” response initially drafted by a small group of financial bureaucrats.

"This delay is an opportunity for council to take the lead and commit to full divestment. They must consult with students and staff before the planned extraordinary meeting.

"We will continue our occupation of Greenwich House until a commitment to full divestment is made" and "We will continue to put pressure on and engage with the University to ensure that student and staff voices are heard and that they commit to full divestment".