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Evaluating academic collaborations with fossil fuel industry: criteria & risk assessment

Building on our research and insights from ongoing discussions about university partnerships with the fossil fuel industry, we, alongside Guus Dix (University of Twente) and Gerrit Schaafsma (Leiden University), have developed a document (see also below) designed for university commissions tasked with evaluating potential collaborations with the fossil fuel sector. This document (first version: September 2024, latest version: April 2025)… Read More »Evaluating academic collaborations with fossil fuel industry: criteria & risk assessment

Webportal of ties between Belgian universities and Israel 

The book “Towers of Ivory and Steel” by Dr. Maya Wind, detailing Israeli universities’ complicity in human rights violations against Palestinians & occupation of Palestinian land, has led to increasing scrutiny of European universities’ ties with Israeli universities. https://www.mayaywind.com/book The Universiteit Gent has taken the decision to discontinue partnerships with Israeli universities, and certain companies, given their involvement in human… Read More »Webportal of ties between Belgian universities and Israel 

Utrecht University: collaboration with BP does not conflict with our climate goals

September 2, 2024 – Higher Education Press Agency (Olmo Linthorst) Utrecht University had pledged not to collaborate with the fossil fuel industry. However, a Utrecht professor is doing so again, raising eyebrows: Is the university ignoring its own rules? This article appeared in several university magazines, we contributed content to it based on our research. “It seems that the university… Read More »Utrecht University: collaboration with BP does not conflict with our climate goals

´CO2-neutral´ wishful thinking with CCS

Publication on www.duurzaam-ondernemen.nl, 13 August 2024 The piece is translated to English by using ChatGPT. A report written by Publieke Zaken and QuO Mare claims that a fossil-free Netherlands by 2050 will cost more than a CO2-neutral Netherlands, as reported by the portal duurzaam-ondernemen.nl last Wednesday. “Fossil-free” means no use of coal, oil, and gas, while “CO2-neutral” refers to capturing… Read More »´CO2-neutral´ wishful thinking with CCS

PRESS RELEASE – New network of researchers exposes tactics that delay effective climate policy

Netherlands, July 2 – Today marks the launch of the research network Climate Obstruction NL. Climate obstruction refers to the obstacles hindering effective climate policy and action. Examples include spreading disinformation, greenwashing, delaying policies, and influencing public debate and politics. Climate obstruction is one of the reasons why the affluent Netherlands lags in implementing effective climate policy. It is also… Read More »PRESS RELEASE – New network of researchers exposes tactics that delay effective climate policy

Public outreach about tobacco & fossil fuel industry disinformation

June 22nd we were at the Leiden Knowledge Festival. Visitors could do our quiz on tobacco, fossil fuels, & health, and peruse tobacco and fossil fuel ads next to subvertised versions by Fossielvrij NL [1] and Michelle Tylicki (Insta: @shelkadelic, [2]). Many found it incredible what tobacco companies got away with – for example, using doctors in ads at a… Read More »Public outreach about tobacco & fossil fuel industry disinformation

New website with overview of ties between Dutch universities and Israel 

Joint press release by European Legal Support Center (ELSC), Stop Arms Trade, Solid Sustainability Research and The Rights Forum – Amsterdam, 7 June 2024 Relations with Israel’s military-industrial complex and Israeli human rights violations underline demands from actions at universities Today, civil society organisations Stop Arms Trade, European Legal Support Center (ELSC) and Solid Sustainability Research published the new website www.academiccomplicity.nl,… Read More »New website with overview of ties between Dutch universities and Israel 

Webinar on Greenwashing: How the fossil fuel industry impedes climate action

Aaron gave a webinar to the Bromsgrove Justice and Peace Group of the Archdiocese of Birmingham on greenwashing and how the fossil fuel industry impedes climate action. What is greenwashing? How can we spot it and how can we call it out? Aaron talked about the ways in which fossil fuel companies have misled the general public in the past… Read More »Webinar on Greenwashing: How the fossil fuel industry impedes climate action

How do cooperations with fossil fuel companies influence the direction of research at universities?

In a freedom of information request to Maastricht University, we received an exchange of letters between the university and aramco. We wrote about it here in ScienceGuide. A representative of the university offers Aramco the choice of 4 proposals to fund (of which 3 were proposals for externally funded professorships). One of them was about urban de-growth (specifically relevant to… Read More »How do cooperations with fossil fuel companies influence the direction of research at universities?

Recent fossil fuel projects at TU Delft sponsored by oil & gas companies

Emma van Bergeijk (journalist at nu.nl) revealed that the Technical University Delft received money from fossil fuel industry for research into oil and gas in recent years. Information provided in response to Emma’s freedom of information (FOI) request showed that Shell, Equinor and Wintershall Dea contracted the Civil Engineering and Geosciences faculty of TU Delft for oil & gas research… Read More »Recent fossil fuel projects at TU Delft sponsored by oil & gas companies