Green MSP Ross Greer has congratulated the University of the West of Scotland on its ranking in the 2016 People and Planet league table which shows that UWS divested from all fossil fuels.
The People and Planet student league table ranks universities on their commitment to environmental and ethical performance. UWS, along with the University of Abertay, joins the University of Glasgow as having fully divested.
West of Scotland MSP Ross Greer has also lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament congratulating UWS on its achievement and applauding students who campaigned for the change.
Ross Greer MSP said;
“Congratulations to the University of the West of Scotland on divesting entirely from fossil fuels. The students and staff at UWS have shown that climate justice matters to all of us. This fantastic victory was the result of hard work by People and Planet campaigners determined to end the university’s links with dangerous, planet-damaging industries. This is a welcome development that sets a strong example in Scotland and across the world for organisations currently invested in fossil fuels.”
Full text of Motion number S5M-02704:
That the Parliament congratulates everyone at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) on the announcement that it has divested completely from fossil fuels; further congratulates students from the UWS People and Planet society who campaigned for over a year to encourage the university to remove £1 million of investments in fossil fuel companies; believes that this is an important step that other universities and institutions can also take to help tackle climate change; notes that Abertay University also recently announced full divestment, meaning that five of Scotland’s 15 universities have now had carried out some form of this, and urges all universities, public and private bodies to divest from the fossil fuel industry.
Climate Energy