Extinction Rebellion claims credit in deterring Equinor from participating in a university careers fair.
Extinction Rebellion, the Samba Band, singers, and associated students protested outside and inside the Exam Schools on the High Street in Oxford 11-1pm on Saturday 14th October, telling students and passers-by attending a careers fair about Equinor and its links to the Rosebank oil and gas field.
Equinor is the corporation which may run the Rosebank oil and gas field if it allowed to open. Equinor says it is “working to advance the energy transition and combat climate change” (from their entry in the event prospectus). In fact: At least 95% of Equinor’s energy comes from fossil fuels. If put into operation, Rosebank would be the largest oil and gas field in the North Sea. The United Nations has said global Climate goals require that NO new oil and gas installations are put into operation.
People were asked to sign a letter to the University Careers Service and the Vice Chancellor asking them to promote only Fossil Free Careers in future (six universities have already committed). People were also encouraged to sign-up to the Stop Rosebank campaign and to XR Oxford, as part of the ‘Cut the Ties to Fossil Fuels’ campaign. More dramatically, there was a die-in at 12 noon outside the Exam Schools.
Ruby Finn comments:
“Since the announcement approving the Rosebank oil field, there have been many protest actions. Rosebank is the largest undeveloped oil field in the North Sea. It would emit more carbon dioxide equivalent in its lifetime than 700 million people in the world’s poorest countries do annually. The International Energy Agency has said that there can be no new investment in oil, gas and coal. Oxford University researchers have published extensively on climate change, as well as renewable energy’s potential. Oxford University should not endorse fossil fuel careers which are keeping this industry going despite objections. We have acted today as all universities should resist supporting fossil fuel corporations which amounts to letting them get away with wrecking the students’ futures.”