Students protest over uni’s fossil fuel funding

STUDENTS are staging a sit-in protest against against Edinburgh University’s decision to continue investing in fossil fuels.

The students occupy Charles Stewart House. Picture: Comp

The protest follows a three-year-campaign by students, staff and graduates to persuade the institution to move away from sinking money into climate-polluting industries.

Branding the university’s stance a “reckless and irresponsible”, students will occupy a management building and have pledged to remain there as long as the university refuses to backtrack.

They want university bosses to commit to “stop funding climate change” by divesting from fossil fuels over the next five years.

The students have unfurled banners. Picture: Comp

Yesterday the University’s governing body surprised campaigners by failing to follow the University of Glasgow, SOAS, University of London and the University of Bedfordshire in withdrawing their funds from fossil fuels.