Last week saw the campus wide referendum on the issue as to whether Leeds University Union should lobby the university to divest away from fossil fuels and use other sustainable resources.

After the Better Union forum was unable to reach a 75 per cent consensus on the issue, it was put to a campus wide referendum.

After intense debates voting closed at 4pm on Thursday 12th November.

There were 1905 people who voted in the referendum, which means the result met the forum’s requirements. 1554 people voted for the proposal that the union should lobby Leeds University to divest away from fossil fuels, 335 people voted against the proposal, and 16 people abstained from voting.

As a result, it is now LUU policy to lobby the university to divest away from fossil fuels.

Second year psychology and philosophy student Emily had told The Gryphon, “Burning fossil fuels is not only debasing to our planet but it is also an expensive and completely unsustainable source of energy, so it would seem absurd that people want to encourage the fact that our fees are spent on such methods of energy. “The result is amazing and it’s so good that people recognise the issue and want change.”

(Image: Wikipedia)

Alice Handy