News / Environment
M32 mural demands divestment
A student campaign group teamed up with the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft to erect a giant mural on the M32 in time to grab the attention of thousands of freshers and their parents arriving in the city.
Fossil Free University of Bristol painted a huge message in Easton accusing the university of investing in dirty energy through an endowment fund managed externally.
The mural, painted on Sunday September 18, is the latest move in an on-going campaign calling on the university to withdraw almost £6 million worth of investments in the fossil fuel industry.
is needed now More than ever
Campaigners want Bristol to follow other universities towards “divestment”, a move which would see funds diverted to environmentally friendly alternatives.
Andrew Taylor, the campaign group spokesperson said: “The mural sends a clear message to the University that it’s time to take action on climate change by divesting from fossil fuels.”
Campaigners claim that investments in fossil fuels go against the University’s own goals on sustainability.
Chris Chalkley, from People’s Republic of Stokes Croft, told Bristol24/7: “I went to Bristol uni 40 years ago, and it is my belief that our universities are failing in their duties as institutions.”
A spokesperson from University of Bristol said: “The University of Bristol contributes to issues related to climate change in many ways.
“We teach and research about sustainability and provide evidence based on our research that informs policy. In addition, as a civic institution, the University plays a major role in seeking to operate in an environmentally sustainable manner, and we are a longstanding partner in the city’s Bristol Green Capital partnership.
“The University has a variety of investments. The majority of our endowment investments are in a pooled fund, managed by a third party investment manager. Last January, we agreed we would investigate moving our investments to a new fund that is in the process of being developed by our fund manager, which specifically responds to the challenges of fossil fuel dependence. This is work in progress.”
Read more: Students in Bristol Uni divestment demands