Calling on students, faculty, and staff to support climate action
Victoria University administration and stakeholders are currently in the process of developing a new five-year strategic plan which will outline goals, priorities, and guidelines for the University’s operations. On October 28, 2019, the VUSAC Sustainability Commission and the Vic Zero Project rolled out a petition in light of this. They have outlined several priorities in regards to sustainability and climate action that the University should strongly consider incorporating into the new strategic plan—and they are asking for the support of students, faculty, and staff alike.
Student organizations have been spearheading many of the climate justice efforts at Vic, and although the University has implemented a few initiatives that take sustainability into account (such as installing water fountains, and technology that reduces energy and water use), it is not as highly prioritized as many students believe it should be. The petition is a way to encourage the administration to acknowledge the impacts of the climate crisis and commit to fighting it. The petition outlines points ranging from “Encouraging the involvement of students, faculty, and staff in decisions regarding sustainable action plans” to “Acknowledging the relationship between mental wellness and the environment” in order to encompass several different aspects of climate justice and transform Vic into a leader in climate action.
Leila Tjiang, the Sustainability Co-Chair on VUSAC, says that the idea to create this petition came out of a town hall meeting wherein a strategic planning consultant seemed surprised that the urge for the divestment of fossil fuels was one of the first points of discussion. “There’s a generational gap in the approach to climate change, in which the youth see it as impending because our futures are entirely contingent upon it, but older generations, those who are actually in control of our institutions, see it as secondary. We need to show our leaders how serious we are about climate change and ensure that they take it seriously too,” says Tjiang. “Ultimately, climate action is a broad movement that affects everyone: it’s not just about science, it’s about humans.”
It can be daunting to think about where to begin when it comes to combating the climate crisis, but the petition to incorporate sustainability into Victoria University’s strategic plan provides a simple way to engage in climate justice. Climate action requires collaboration and there is strength in numbers, so VUSAC’s Sustainability Commission and the Vic Zero Project encourage all students, staff, and faculty at Vic to sign and share the petition. It closes at midnight on Sunday, November 24, and can be found here.
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