Student democracy winning for the planet
At this year’s National Conference – as well as the policy on sustainable placements and apprenticeships – another, crucially important sustainability motion passed.
Motion 509 at Conference, submitted by University College London Union and entitled ‘Fight Climate Change!’, passed with support from an overwhelming majority of delegates at the conference. The motion highlighted the view of leading climate scientists that climate change exceeding 1.5°C is now likely, and underscored Donald Trump’s appointments and policies undermining the fight against climate change.
Fuel poverty was a priority in the motion. It stated that 2.3 million families were living in fuel poverty this winter – with consumer energy prices expected to rise 5% in 2017, driven by gas prices, and profits for the Big Six energy firms up 10% since 2007. Students voted against this state of affairs, confirming their beliefs that privatised energy, prioritising profit over public use and progress on renewables, is wrong.
The motion demanded urgent action on climate change – action that moves faster than is convenient for the fossil fuel industry, and pushes for public ownership and democratic control of energy.
The motion had two key resolutions:
- To campaign for the nationalisation of the Big Six under democratic control as part of a renewed drive for student action against climate change.
- To support protests against Trump’s rollback of progress on climate change.