EXF0036

Written evidence submitted by UK Student Climate Network

Introduction

1. The UK Student Climate Network (UKSCN) is an emergent group of students and young people, mobilising tens of thousands of students as part of the YouthStrike4Climate campaign to pressure government and those in positions of power to act urgently to address the climate crisis.

2. Over the past two months, UKSCN has organised two nationwide days of action that have seen 20,000 and 50,000 young people strike from education and take to the streets, resulting in widespread media coverage and inspiration for action on climate change from huge swathes of society.

3. This is part of a wider global movement. In 15th March 2019, over 1.4 million young people went on strike worldwide. These numbers are set to grow.

The problems in UK Export Finance

4. UK Export Finance gives 99.4% of its energy support to fossil fuels.

5. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the International Energy agency have been clear that sticking to a pathway that prevents catastrophic climate breakdown means an end to fossil fuel investment.

6. The UK Government cannot continue to claim to be a climate leader while supporting fossil fuels.

Students are striking because politicians have not done enough, and they are not listening.

7. Students and young people have felt it necessary to act, and act in a way that includes personal sacrifice to highlight the severity of the climate crisis due to the precarious and extreme situation we now find ourselves in.

8. The climate is in crisis, there is no other appropriate way of talking about the situation that humanity now faces. Report after report, and paper after paper lay bare the severity of inaction, and the current disastrous trajectory we're on. Governments, corporations and those in positions of power have largely ignored the dire warnings the scientific community have presented for decades.

9. The time for debating and delaying action on climate change is over. The need for action is urgent, we have the solutions, we know the steps we must take to tackle the climate crisis, yet those in positions of power continue to inch along at a pace too slow to have the impact necessary.

10. Action is hindered by political distractions, alongside failing to pay the climate crisis the attention it deserves. Decision making across government is mired by conflicting corporate interests tied up in fossil fuels. Our own government, and the UK Export Finance (UKEF) agency is deeply complicit in favouring fossil fuel investment over ensuring the safety of our generation's future, and protecting those around the world already suffering the devastating effects of climate change.

11. UKEF investing £6.9 billion in fossil fuels between 2000 and 2017[1] should be regarded as criminal, deeply negligent; and those responsible for such decisions should be held to account for their ecological, environmental and the associated social crimes that go hand in hand with fossil fuel extractivism.

Recommendations for the Environmental Audit Committee

12. All subsidies, investments, credit lines and material support for fossil fuel exploration, extraction, and development must cease immediately.

13. There is no excuse for not taking this action given the severity of the climate crisis. The UK Government could and should lead the way in tackling the climate crisis.

14. We need a just transition to support those in high carbon and greenhouse gas emission industries to retrain, and enter well paid, green jobs that operate for the benefit of people and planet.

15. If you fail to listen to the evidence, we, the youngest in this country, and many more in climate vulnerable states will have to deal with the devastating and continuing effects of climate breakdown.

16. For your today, you're sacrificing our tomorrow.

April 2019