Dharna Noor reports for the Guardian that California's public universities may have divested from fossil fuels – but board members still have industry ties.
In a nutshell:
A recent analysis by Sunstone Strategies reveals that approximately one-third of California's 32 public universities have board members with direct ties to the fossil fuel industry, including prominent figures like former Chevron CEO John S Watson and executives from companies like SoCalGas and Kern Oil. This discovery has raised concerns among climate advocates, even though the University of California and California State University systems had previously divested from fossil fuels. Critics argue that these board memberships represent a form of "infiltration" by polluters into academia, potentially influencing research, policies, and funding priorities. While some universities and affiliated firms deny such influence, activists call for greater transparency and accountability in these relationships. This analysis underscores ongoing scrutiny of fossil fuel industry connections within higher education.
Key quote:
“The reports and research that comes out of prestigious universities actually goes on to influence lawmakers and policymakers and then goes on to create real harm in our communities,” said Alicia Colomer, communications and operations coordinator at the group Fossil Free Research. “There’s a very clear trickle-down effect from universities down to think tanks and to policymakers and legislators.”
The big picture:
These ties may influence research priorities and policies within academic institutions, potentially impacting the direction of studies related to environmental health. Such affiliations may raise questions about conflicts of interest and transparency in decision-making processes, which could affect the overall efforts to address environmental concerns and public health issues. These connections between board members and the fossil fuel industry warrant scrutiny to ensure that academic institutions remain committed to unbiased research and actions that prioritize environmental well-being and public health.
Read the article in the Guardian.
Paul Ehrlich and Joan Diamond note that "Stanford University’s academic senate gave a great lesson in the need to change the financing of higher education by refusing to divest from the fossil fuel industry because some senators were getting research support from them."
