All Student Vote (Autumn 2019)

Warwick SU for Climate Justice

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This motion asks for the SU to campaign for the University of Warwick to achieve net zero emissions by 2030 and to demand the University of Warwick to remove the BP archive. To mandate the DDO to circulate students' action in support of climate strike on 29th November and to do the same for future climate strike demonstrations. 

This Union Notes:

 

1. The climate crisis is already underway and costing lives[1] in the global south while we have only 11 years to keep global average temperature rises below 1.5C above pre-industrial levels to avoid catastrophic climate change[2].

 

2. That while 100 corporations are responsible for 71% of emissions[3], it is working people, people in the global south[4], people of colour[5] and women[6] that are primarily threatened by the climate crisis.

 

3. That to account for its fair share of emissions reduction given its historic colonial responsibility for the climate crisis Britain would have to eliminate its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 2030[7][8].

 

4. The University of Warwick announced a climate emergency committing to carbon neutrality by 2050[9] for all its emissions, only putting it in line with the government’s legally binding target for the whole UK.

 

5. The continued presence of the BP corporate archive on campus and BP’s significant responsibility for the climate crisis[10].

 

6. Decarbonisation by 2050, assuming all countries follow suit, would deliver a 50% chance of avoiding above 1.5C of warming and does not account for Britain’s historic responsibility for the crisis.[11]

 

7. The “PROJECT: Climate Emergency” petition which called for carbon neutrality by Warwick University by 2030 garnered over 1000 signatures[12].

 

8. Warwick UCU’s Response to Warwick’s Climate Emergency Declaration on 25/09/19 calling for among other things “scope 3 neutrality by 2030, we call for the creation of an ongoing shared governance platform with UCU, Unite, Unison, the SU, and other representative bodies on campus to create a genuine leadership role for the university on climate breakdown”[13].

 

 

 

This Union Believes:

 

 

1. That there has been no public response to this UCU proposal from Warwick SU.

 

2. The public statement by Warwick Students Union welcoming the University’s declaration of a climate emergency, which references their target for net zero as 2030.[14]

 

3. That Warwick SU did not circulate any information to students regarding the 27^th September Warwick Climate Strike as requested by student organisers.

 

4. That any response to the climate crisis must start from of a recognition of corporate and colonial responsibility for this crisis and therefore be driven by a vision of just transition which accounts for this and is led by workers & marginalised students.

 

5. That the University of Warwick’s commitment to zero emissions by 2050 for direct and indirect emissions is woefully inadequate and, as a major education institution situated within the Global North, the University is abdicating its responsibility of solidarity to the global community.

 

6. That the University of Warwick must bring its direct and indirect (scope 3) emissions to zero by at least 2030, developing a plan for this in participation with UCU, Unison, Unite, Warwick SU and student groups.

 

7. That the Students Union exists to represent students, must do everything to support student and staff organising for climate justice on campus and must always prioritise this above pleasing university management.

 

 

This Union Resolves:

 

 

 

1. To campaign for and issue a statement demanding that the University of Warwick achieve net zero emissions on all direct and indirect emissions (scope 3) by 2030 and

 

2. To campaign for and issue a statement demanding that the University of Warwick removes the BP archive.

 

 

3. To take up the proposal made by Warwick UCU for “the creation of an ongoing shared governance platform with UCU, Unite, Unison, the SU, and other representative bodies on campus”, including Warwick Anti-Racism Society, Warwick Anti-Sexism Society and other student groups involved in organising climate strike demonstrations on campus.

 

4. To mandate the Democracy and Development Officer and President to support, promote and circulate to students’ action in support of the climate strike on 29^th November and to do the same for all such future climate strike demonstrations.