Shifting Discourse on Climate and Sustainability: Key Characteristics of the Higher Education Fossil Fuel Divestment Movement

Abstract

In the last decade, the fossil fuel divestment (FFD) movement has emerged as a key component of an international grassroots mobilization for climate justice. Using a text analysis of Facebook pages for 144 campaigns at higher education institutions (HEIs), this article presents an overview and analysis of the characteristics of the higher education (HE) FFD movement in the US. The results indicate that campaigns occur at a wide array of HEIs, concentrated on the east and west coasts. Primarily student led, campaigns set broad goals for divestment, while reinvestment is often a less clearly defined objective. Campaigns incorporate a mixture of environmental, social, and economic arguments into their messaging. Justice is a common theme, used often in a broad context rather than towards specific populations or communities impacted by climate change or other social issues. These insights contribute to the understanding of the HE FFD movement as ten years of campus organizing approaches. In particular, this study illustrates how the movement is pushing sustainability and climate action in HE and in broader society towards a greater focus on systemic change and social justice through campaigns’ hardline stance against fossil fuels and climate justice orientation.

Fabricating Resemblance to Global Commitment: A Critical Discourse Analysis on BP Energy Outlook

“…Focusing on direct benefits to BP, the popularization of this discourse can prevent investors from divestment and defer the moment their assets get stranded as the fall of fossil fuel consumption is delayed in the Outlook. (Gibson & Duram, 2020;Mangat et al, 2018).…”

Towards a greater engagement of universities in addressing climate change challenges

“…Another role universities play in affecting climate action-related transformational change is through their engagement in advocacy and activism 9 . For instance, in the United States and Canada HEI have been involved in the fossil fuel divestment (FFD) 10 , 11 . In the United States, campaigns, primarily led by students, focus on justice including social, environmental, and economic issues 10 .…”

“…For instance, in the United States and Canada HEI have been involved in the fossil fuel divestment (FFD) 10 , 11 . In the United States, campaigns, primarily led by students, focus on justice including social, environmental, and economic issues 10 . In Canada, the campaigns use the signing of sit-ins, petitions, protests and rallies as well as branding and messaging from international environmental organizations 11 .…”