Students end Edinburgh University protest

A 10-day student occupation of a building at Edinburgh University by environmental campaigners has come to an end.

Around 30 students from the People and Planet group occupied it in protest at the institution's rejection of calls to pull its investments from fossil fuels.

Two men were arrested earlier this week over an alleged confrontation between a security guard and a protester outside the premises of Charles Stewart House on the city's Chambers Street.

The students said they would take their campaign on to the streets following their concerns about safety in the building.

Edinburgh University previously said it would withdraw investments from the most polluting fuels, coal and 'tar sands', if there were realistic alternative sources of energy available and the companies involved were not investing in technology to cut carbon emissions.

But environmental campaigners have criticised the institution for missing a 'clear opportunity' to take a moral lead on tackling climate change.

WWF Scotland director Lang Banks said: 'Congratulations to the students for making sure this important issue was put under the spotlight, both here and as well as globally. The science is clear, to protect our climate the vast majority of known fossil fuel reserves must remain unburned and in the ground. The University's policy will contribute little to address climate change if it at the end of the day it fails to divest from any climate-wreakers and invest more in the many pollution-free alternatives.'

He added, 'What the students were asking for was not unreasonable. I therefore hope that the university will change tack, and now quickly start to divest from fossil fuels.'

Earlier this month, Edinburgh University issued a statement on its changed fossil fuel investment policy in the face of a growing campaign to 'divest' from such fuels, which has seen universities including Glasgow and SOAS in London withdrawing investment.

The institution said it would work with companies to reduce their emissions and continue, through research and teaching, to help develop alternative energy sources and technology which captures and stores carbon emissions from power plants.

It also said it would seek to change the behaviour of the companies in which it invests, both in fossil fuels and other sectors, by requiring them to report on their emissions and by benchmarking them against best performance in their sector.

In addition, the university will prioritise low or zero-carbon investments by identifying and replacing investments with lower carbon alternatives where available.

In a statement, senior vice principal Professor Charlie Jeffery said: ''The university believes that we should seek means through our investments to support the transition from a high-carbon to a low-carbon society, as long as actions taken are consistent with other university objectives and values.'

He said: 'In reaching its decision, the university does not see choices as limited to 'no change' or 'pull out of all investments'.'