The Climate Justice Petition
Climate justice: protecting communities most vulnerable to the effects of environmental degradation; and, pursuing environmental, economic, and equitable sustainability by advocating for a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Whereas, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned all governments, countries, and cities that our population has 11 years to implement meaningful, radical changes in our infrastructure if we want to remain below a global temperature increase of 1.5 degrees celsius.
Whereas, a global temperature increase of 1.5 degrees celsius constitutes a genocide on humanity and planet. For example, millions of people will suffer from water scarcity, food insecurity and climate-driven displacement; thousands of people will suffer death by heat strokes; and, extreme scarcity of resources will create dangerous political environments around the world.
Whereas, St. Edward’s Holy Cross-inspired mission statement encourages students to “confront the critical issues of society and to seek justice and peace”; and, the current environmental crisis constitutes a grave social injustice.
Whereas, St. Edward’s University students have united to form a “Coalition of Climate Justice”--an alliance of student organizations and individuals that stand unified in advocacy for climate justice on the Hilltop
Whereas, the student signatories of this petition recognize that climate justice advocacy entails substantial financial investment, as well as institutional commitment
And whereas, The student signatories of this petition strongly prioritize financial and institutional investments to be allotted to climate-justice infrastructure changes
BE IT RESOLVED: The Coalition of Climate Justice formally and vehemently calls for the Board of Trustees to adopt the following strategic-planning policies:
Present a yearly report to the student body, outlining what percentage of the campus’ energy comes from dirty energy (fossil-fuel energy including coal and natural gas) vs. clean energy (renewable energy including solar, wind, and geothermal).
Present the student body with a plan which commits the University to the following energy goals.
Drop the entire campus’ dirty energy usage by 45% by 2030
Source 100% of the campus’ energy from renewable energy by 2050