50 signatures reached
To: University Council
University of Bradford: Divest from Fossil Fuels
We welcome the University of Bradford's existing efforts to cut its own use of fossil fuels through investment in award-winning sustainable campus infrastructure. We also welcome the Vice Chancellor's decision to prioritise 'Sustainable Societies' as one of the University's key research themes.
We believe that the University's reputation as an institution committed to sustainability would be further strengthened by a decision to divest from fossil fuels, a commitment that a number of other Universities in the UK and around the world have already made.
We ask the University to do the following:
- screen for and exclude the fossil fuel industry from its investment portfolio
- immediately freeze any new investment in fossil fuel companies
- divest from the fossil fuel industry and shift funds to lower risk, ethical investments within 5 years.
Why is this important?
To a significant extent, the future of students currently studying at the University of Bradford will be shaped by contemporary responses to the threat of dangerous climate change. We believe that it is the University's responsibility to do all within its power to contribute to solutions to the climate crisis that fully respect the conclusions of climate science, and that are in line with principles of equity and justice.