The UN secretary general has told new university graduates not to pursue careers with “climate pests” – companies that manage fossil fuel extraction.
Antonio Guterres addressed thousands of graduates at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, USA, on Tuesday. “You have to be the generation that manages to cope with the global emergency of climate change,” he said. “Despite mountains of evidence of impending climate catastrophe, we still see mountains of funding for coal and fossil fuels that are killing our planet.
“But we know that investing in fossil fuels is a dead end – no amount of greenery or turning can change that. That is why we must warn them: there is a responsibility for those who are liquidating our future.
He added: “You hold the cards. Your talent is sought after by multinational companies and large financial institutions. You will have many options to choose from. My message to you is simple: do not work for climate destroyers. Use your talents to steer us towards a renewable future. ”
Guterres has become increasingly outspoken about the climate crisis in recent months, telling world leaders in April: “Our dependence on fossil fuels is killing us.
He also recently attacked companies and governments whose actions in the field of climate do not coincide with their words: “Simply put, they are lying and the results will be catastrophic. Investing in new fossil fuel infrastructure is moral and economic madness. “
The Guardian recently revealed that the 12 largest oil and gas companies plan to spend $ 103 million a day by 2030 on projects that cannot continue if global warming is to remain well below 2C as agreed by world governments.
On Monday, a senior safety consultant left Shell after 11 years, accusing the company in a public video of causing “extreme damage” to the environment. Caroline Dennett said Shell had “ignored the risks of climate change” and called on others in the oil and gas industry to “move away while there is still time”.
Dennett said she was inspired by the Extinction Rebellion protest: “When I saw news footage of the Extinction Rebellion inviting everyone at Shell to jump in a ship and offering support through its TruthTeller project, it motivated me to take action. I hope many others can find a way to do the same. “
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The TruthTeller campaign encourages employees to stay away from companies fueling the climate crisis and to reveal anonymously what they know. TruthTeller coordinator Zoe Blackler said: “Employees are faced with a tough choice: either stay where they are and watch Shell become toxic in their CVs, or leave an industry that is rapidly losing its social license.
University students in the UK are increasingly joining a fossil fuel-free career campaign to ban fossil fuel companies and mining and recruitment events. Students from the universities of Oxford, Edinburgh, Sheffield and Sussex supported the campaign in March and April.
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