For many students, like myself, part of the draw of Exeter University was the green backdrop that is Streatham Campus. The 300-acre site is a Registered Botanic Garden and, alongside the Penryn Campus, was awarded the coveted Green Flag Award in 2023 by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.
The University’s commitment to maintaining a beautiful surrounding for students to access while they study is a strong 2 initial signpost of the university’s commitment to the environment. Furthermore, in the University of Exeter strategy 2030 brochure the university lays out a vision for itself to ‘Lead meaningful action against the climate emergency and ecological crisis’.
However, does this initial impression of a commitment to our environment carry through as you look further into the university’s dealings?
In 2023 the University of Exeter was the site of two Just Stop Oil protests which begs the question why the University has become a target for climate activism and what its role may or may not be in the climate crisis. The first protest took place at one of the university’s graduation ceremonies in July 2023.
Politics and philosophy student Edward Whittingham let off a fire extinguisher containing orange paint and was fined for the criminal damage for ruining a campus security member’s clothing. In this case the universities relevance to the protest is largely defined as a high-profile stage for the demonstration.
In this case the universities relevance to the protest is largely defined as a high-profile stage for the demonstration.
Whittingham is recorded as saying ‘What is the point of education if you are dead?’ and demanding the government end new oil and gas projects. In this instance the target of criticism does not appear to have been the university directly.
This is not the case, however, for the second Just Stop Oil protest that took place in October 2023.
During this protest George Simonson occupied the roof of the entrance to Forum after spraying the building with red and orange paint and unfurling a Just Stop Oil Banner. After 3 hours Simonson was removed and arrested by police.
This protest took place a week after a publication in the Guardian named the University of Exeter as the largest beneficiary of money pledged to universities across the UK by oil, coal and gas companies since 2022.
In 2022 the University of Exeter signed a five-year deal with Shell amounting to £14.7 million. The universities relationship with Shell is one that has been at the forefront of students minds in recent years and one that does stand to be interrogated. In this case it was this close relationship with Shell that made the University a target for climate protest.
Upon further research, Exeter University’s aforementioned £14.7 million deal with Shell is for an ongoing project involving research on ‘carbon storage and sequestration’.
Despite initial impressions, the university’s relationship with Shell is one that is seeking to aid Shell in going green and reducing the effects of their fossil fuel emissions
Despite initial impressions, the university’s relationship with Shell is one that is seeking to aid Shell in going green and reducing the effects of their fossil fuel emissions. This partnership stands in good stead against the university’s Strategy 2030 which seeks to be ‘a recognised leader in organisational, financial and environmental sustainability’.
However, alongside this positive action against the climate crisis the universities close relationship with Shell remains an uncomfortable one for many students. Especially as Shell’s commitment to going green leaves a lot to be desired; in 2022 only 0.03% of the energy they produced came from renewable resources and in 2023 the target for cutting the production of oil was reduced.
…the contribution of Shell to life as an Exeter student is one that we should remain sceptical of.
The university itself has been producing research to show the economic benefits of embracing the transition away from the declining fossil fuel industry. Despite their working relationship, the University and Shell’s outlooks on the climate crisis are not in perfect harmony and the contribution of Shell to life as an Exeter student is one that we should remain sceptical of.
