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KCL Students’ Union has voted to publicly back the Fossil Free Careers campaign, urging the University’s Careers Service to cut ties with oil, gas and mining industries. The campaign, coordinated by student-led campaigning charity People & Planet, demands universities across the UK end oil, gas and mining recruitment by adopting an ethical careers policy.
Following a student petition, KCL now becomes the 17th UK students’ union to endorse Fossil Free Careers, calling on the Careers Service to join the 7 UK Universities which have already cut ties with the fossil fuel industry. With the backing of the Students’ Union, KCL students have now officially launched the campaign on campus, highlighting the environmental and social injustices of the oil, gas and mining industries.
This follows on from the success of previous student campaigns at KCL which have pushed the University to commit to meaningful climate action, including back in 2017 when KCL committed to fully divest from fossil fuels and remove the industry from its investment portfolio. Now students are demanding the University take further action to cut its links with the fossil fuel industry as attention turns to the Careers Service to implement an Ethical Careers Policy, cutting its career pipelines into the fossil fuel industry.
Julia Pressner, KCL Climate Action said:
‘It is clear that students recognise the futile future of the fossil fuel industry. And now, with support from KCLSU, we hope King’s College London will understand how dire the situation really is, and how important it is to the student body for them to end relationships with oil, gas, and mining companies, and adopt an Ethical Careers Policy.’
Maddie Bromfield, Climate Justice Campaign Coordinator at People & Planet said:
‘Students at KCL are sending a clear message that the University must end its recruitment ties with the fossil fuel industry. It’s incredible to see students organising for an Ethical Careers Policy and we hope to see KCL’s careers service make this commitment.’
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