Uni staff back fossil fuel divestment movement

Over 50 Edinburgh Uni academics have signed an open letter to Tim O’Shea pleading for divestment.

Academics have joined the student campaign for the university to withdraw their £4 million investment in fossil fuels as well as investments in the arms trade.

The letter asks for Edinburgh to join the global movement for divestment and conservation of fossil fuels.

Campaigning group People & Planet presented the letter

Glasgow University set the precedent at the end of last year with their withdrawal and Edinburgh are still yet to commit despite 1,400 students signing a petition.

EUSA Vice President Tasha Boardman has said:

“It is now more crucial than ever that we continue to lobby the university to take action and demonstrate the importance of this campaign!”

All eyes on University leaders over the next few weeks

The letter states:

“We are proud of being part of a University which aspires ‘to make world-leading contributions to understanding and addressing global challenges’.

“We are calling on the University to take action to fulfill these objectives: to divest from fossil fuels and the arms trade.

“While we use our endowment fund to support the fossil fuel industry, we bear responsibility for the environmental damage and social injustice that result from it.

“Similarly, by investing in arms companies we are fueling conflict, poverty and human rights abuses.”