Investigating Student Perspectives on Dalhousie’s Fossil Fuel Investments

Abstract

Global warming has been increasingly worsening over the last several decades, with fossil fuels being the leading cause of climate change. Large businesses and educational institutions still invest billions of dollars into fossil fuel companies yearly. Dalhousie University is still invested in fossil fuels despite its commitments to sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investment practices. To mitigate the effects of fossil fuels on the environment, these institutions and businesses must divest from these companies and shift their focus to more sustainable resources. This study aims to understand how Dalhousie University's investments in fossil fuels affect the student population's opinion of the institution to bring awareness to students and the administration. A survey was distributed throughout campus and on social media to collect responses. The survey results show that Dalhousie's lack of divestment of fossil fuels has a negative impact on the student's opinion of the school, indicating that a change is needed. Although the study only included a fraction of the student population, it provides grounds and a reason for further research to be conducted to encourage the administration to divest from fossil fuels.