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Legal complaints against university fossil fuel investments filed in the US
Students at Columbia, Tulane and the University of Virginia have legally challenged their universities' investments in fossil fuels, claiming these are illegal and breach institutional obligations.
In short:
- Students argue investments in fossil fuel companies contradict the schools’ missions of promoting " socially beneficial ends."
- They highlight conflicts of interest with faculty and board members receiving payments from the fossil fuel sector.
- Legal actions align with broader divestment efforts and increased scrutiny of fossil fuel influence in academia.
Key quote:
"Universities occupy a unique position as a bastion of values and morals the best of society should strive for. When Columbia refuses to commit to divestment, it hinders those very same principles and continues a blatant disregard of the important climate work its own faculty, students and affiliates do."
— Nicole Xiao, second-year Columbia student studying climate systems science.
Why this matters:
Universities investment strategies set precedents, affecting public perceptions and policies on critical issues like climate change. As of 2023, more than 1,500 institutions representing more than $40 trillion in assets have pledged to stop investing in fossil fuel companies.
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