‘A lack of directive makes science as a whole vulnerable to greenwashing’, S4F states in an open letter. Photo Shutterstock As custodians of science, NWO (Dutch Research Council) and KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences) must take a more critical approach to partnerships with the fossil industry, says Scientists for Future NL in an open letter. The letter is signed by 450 employees of thirteen universities and eleven research institutes, including WUR.
‘While the impacts of climate change are visible everywhere and are increasing in severity, fossil fuel businesses continue to prioritise shareholder profits over a credible climate policy’, the letter states. ‘The malpractices and damages caused by the fossil fuel industry are widely known.’
Several occupations and other protests took place at Dutch universities over the last year, demanding that the institutes sever ties with the fossil industry. Although the wording is somewhat more nuanced, this, too, appears to be what the letter aims for. ‘We call on the KNAW as the voice and conscience of science, and on the NWO, as the Netherlands’ key funder of science, to critically evaluate partnerships between researchers in the Netherlands and the fossil energy sector’, the letter states.
No proper guideline
The signers demand an ‘unequivocal policy’ from the NWO and the KNAW. New partnerships with the fossil energy sector should only be permitted if businesses make proven efforts to fight the climate crisis. ‘To date, not a single business in the fossil energy sector meets these criteria, which means that we will not and cannot collaborate with these businesses until they do.’
Scientists for Future feels that employees in science lack proper guidelines regarding their interaction with fossil energy businesses, a spokesperson says. This lack of policy means that each individual employee must decide for themselves on partnerships. ‘This fragmentation makes science as a whole vulnerable to greenwashing, which negatively impacts our credibility.’
NWO and KNAW have only just received the letter and plan to react later this week.
