We have released public sustainability demands asking that every college by the end of March 2023
Our demands are that every college:
1. Adopts a target for net zero carbon and biodiversity net gain.
At least as ambitious as the central University’s 2035 date.
2. Publishes a strategy as to how they will achieve this target.
With annual reporting, covering scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions as well as biodiversity impacts, and including or alongside a policy commitment to divest from fossil fuels.
3. Implements the appropriate governance and enablers to enact this strategy.
Including a sustainability committee with student representation, and dedicated staff time.
We have released these demands because we want to make it clear to colleges the progress we hope to see. This is not because colleges aren’t doing any sustainability work – as highlighted in our what should my college be doing, many colleges are undertaking some work. However, across the board the majority of colleges are yet to publicly release a target and strategy, and to commit to the appropriate governance and enablers.
The deadline for our asks of March 2023 marks two years from when the central University committed to net zero carbon and biodiversity net gain by 2035, and nearly 3 years since the central University committed to fossil fuel divestment.
Oxford SU is pursuing these demands internally via college committees, through supporting college common room Environment and Ethics student representatives (who were consulted on these demands), and through supporting individual students passionate about making change. Any student can get involved by looking at what information is publicly available on their college’s website, and then asking that their college makes the above-mentioned commitments.
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