Based on the Oct 2018 IPCC report and subsequent actions of some local authorities, the students campaigned for the University to recognise a state of Climate Emergency. This acknowledges the extent and already emerging impact of Global Warming and Climate Change across the global, and provides background for a firm commitment by the University to reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emissions from all its activities (known as Scope 3). Advocacy also involved the construction of a range of high quality articles and discussion through the student run GLOBUS on-line magazine: Project Climate Emergency

While GHG emissions have been previously accepted by most actors in society as non-costed externalities, the student campaign further requests that such inter-generational costs are formally internalised into current university accounting: through the commitment to net carbon neutrality by 2030 – the only target that offers such an institution, in a much more economically develop country, coherence with the IPCC conclusions.

The petition was signed by over 1,100 member of the university community – by students, as well as both academic and professional services staff. The submission of the petition through the formal university process (see Photo 1) was also supported by the Chair of The Climate Group Joan McNaughton (CB Hon FEI) in a personal letter to the university; as well as by additional signatures from local MPs Matt Western and Jim Cunningham, the Head of Department Professor Jenainati; and the University College Union (UCU) who also release a statement of support on their website.

The students now await a response from the university, and to see the result of directly embedding their learning in real world action.