SSC #22: Stanford’s Entanglement with Fossil Fuel Divestment by Ruby Gates and Vrinda Suresh

Stanford SciCast

Stanford University knows it needs to take bold action on environmental issues—it’s creating a new school focused on sustainability and climate change, it has plans to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050… So, why is it so hesitant to cut ties with the fossil fuel industry? In this episode of the Stanford SciCast, your hosts Ruby Gates and Vrinda Suresh unpack Stanford’s sustainability commitments, and its resistance to fossil fuel divestment, through conversations with student organizers and experts on climate science, climate denial, and the fossil fuel industry. *Note: Ben Franta and Paul Edwards’ interviews were conducted on May 24 and May 27, respectively. When they reference court rulings that came out “today” or “the last couple of days,” they are referring to rulings that happened the week of May 23. Additional Info: Check out Fossil Free’s open letter to Stanford’s president: https://www.stanforddaily.com/2021/03/30/letter-to-the-university-president-the-school-of-sustainability-and-climate-should-refuse-funding-from-fossil-fuel-companies/ Sign their petition here: http://bit.ly/refuseffmoney Dr. Ben Franta’s work on fossil fuel companies: Early oil industry disinformation on global warming - Environmental Politics Early oil industry knowledge of CO2 and global warming - Nature Climate Change Shell and Exxon's secret 1980s climate change warnings - The Guardian The Daily Brew Podcast Episode with Stephan Graham and Kam Moler: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6VnPO17tkJ7GNI3vQK8T5q Noam Bergman’s Paper Bergman, Noam. 2018. "Impacts of the Fossil Fuel Divestment Movement: Effects on Finance, Policy and Public Discourse" Sustainability 10, no. 7: 2529. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072529 Music and Sounds: Flutterbee by Podington Bear licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0 Elephants on Parade by Podington Bear licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0 Releasing the Sculpture by Podington Bear licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0 New Skin by Podington Bear licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0 Caterpillar Brigade by Podington Bear licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0 Love Song #1 by Podington Bear licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0 Record Scratch by luffy, licensed under CC BY 3.0 Drumroll by ddohler, licensed under CC BY 3.0 Image: Photo by Dean Chahim/Fossil Free Stanford, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0