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Canberra Today 14°/17° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Monster petition at ANU calls on the VC to finish divesting from fossil fuel companies

petition

FOSSIL Free ANU has presented to Vice-Chancellor Ian Young a 30 metre long petition, with the signatures of 1500 students who are calling on him to ‘Divest the Rest’ of the ANU’s holdings in fossil fuel companies.

“Despite the widespread media attention that the ANU and its Vice-Chancellor Ian Young received following the decision to divest from seven resource companies, in reality shares from only two fossil fuel companies were actually dumped,” said Fossil Free ANU spokesperson Miriam Adams-Schimminger.

“The ANU has still not divested from the worst offenders in their portfolio: BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Woodside Petroleum, and Westfarmers.

“The campaign launch comes the day after a report headed by Australian National University Associate Professor Frank Jotzo said that switching investments away from fossil fuels is a key part of transitioning to a renewable economy and cutting Australia’s carbon emissions.

“This action is part of 350.org Australia’s National Day of Campus Divestment Action, and comes after the university announced that it would sell $16 million worth of shares in seven resource companies in late last year.

“ANU has built its image of leadership on climate change by divesting from merely two companies. We have lauded the ANU for taking the first step, for standing up to its critics, including the Federal Government. But now, if we are to live up to our own rhetoric, we must go further and divest the rest.

At a meeting with Vice Chancellor Ian Young they handed over 30 metre long petition of 1500 signatures urging him to divest the rest, a move they say will confirm the ANU’s position as a globally important university.

“With Professor Young announcing his departure from ANU to pursue climate research, it would only make sense for him to want to leave a legacy that distinguished ANU as a global leader in sustainability,” Miriam said.

“The ANU prides itself on being a world leading research university, and we believe it should continue to lead by divesting the rest of its investments in fossil fuels.”

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