BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM
In a major triumph for climate activists, over 77 percent of UK institutions pledged to divest from fossil fuels. The achievement is the culmination of over a decade of tireless effort by students and faculty.
People & Planet’s Fossil Free campaign, established in 2013, calls for colleges to cut off links with fossil fuel extractor companies in solidarity with Indigenous and frontline communities impacted by both climate change and extraction projects. The campaign has encouraged divestment while also raising awareness about higher education institutions’ ethical and environmental obligations.
Laura Clayson, Campaign Manager for Climate Justice at People & Planet, emphasizes the importance of this accomplishment: “Over three-quarters of UK universities excluding fossil fuels from their investments would have been unimaginable just a decade ago. This victory is thanks to generations of students and staff who have fought for justice in solidarity with impacted communities.”
The numbers behind the milestone
According to People & Planet, 115 of 149 UK colleges have publically committed to divesting from fossil fuels, putting an estimated £17.7 billion ($22.6 billion) in endowments out of reach for fossil fuel businesses.
Recent pledges from Birmingham City University, Glasgow School of Art, Royal Northern College of Music, and the University of Bradford have helped the higher education sector get closer to its aim of ethical investing. These commitments were published in the 2024 People & Planet University League, which ranks universities based on their ethical and environmental performance.
Student campaigners have played a key role in advancing these changes, often working together with university officials to advocate for Ethical Investment Policies that exclude fossil fuel firms.
The global impact of divestment
The impact of divestment goes far beyond academic campuses. By withdrawing investments from fossil fuel businesses, institutions send a strong message of accountability and solidarity to communities directly impacted by extraction projects.
One such project is the contentious East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), a 1,443-kilometer pipeline that will transport crude oil from Uganda’s Lake Albert region to Tanzania’s Port of Tanga. Despite significant opposition from local people and activists, TotalEnergies and CNOOC continue to build EACOP, which regularly faces allegations of human rights violations.
“This industry represents a neo-colonial approach to resource extraction,” Clayson said. “The days of UK universities profiteering from investments in this neo-colonial industry are over.”
The fight against EACOP and ongoing challenges
The movement against EACOP has served as a rallying point for activists around the world. In Uganda, student organizers supported by Stop EACOP Uganda have faced arrests and state violence for opposing the pipeline. Stephen Kwikiriza, an activist, was reportedly abducted and abused in June 2024 for documenting alleged human rights violations.
Ntambazi Imuran Java, lead coordinator of Stop EACOP Uganda, expressed gratitude for the efforts of those fighting fossil fuel investments: “Regardless of the arrests and violations, we continue to demand that Ugandan authorities stop the project and instead invest in renewables. We commit to our principles of non-violence and call for urgent support to pressure the Ugandan government and EACOP shareholders.”
Back in the UK, student activists are keeping the pressure on the remaining 34 universities that have yet to go fossil-free. Students at institutions such as the University of Strathclyde have repeatedly demanded divestment, emphasizing the growing minority position of those who refuse.
Looking ahead
While the accomplishments are tremendous, activists emphasize that there is still more work to do. The transition to renewable energy, global accountability for fossil fuel projects, and ongoing advocacy for ethical investments are critical.
As Clayson concludes, “We look forward to announcing the sector’s stragglers as Fossil Free very soon.”
The Fossil Free movement exemplifies the power of persistent action and collaboration, demonstrating that even established systems can be challenged—and improved.
