Youth coalition demands university divests from fossil fuels

Ohio Youth for Climate Justice (OHYCJ) protested against Ohio State University (OSU) on Oct. 28, alleging that the Columbus school failed to limit its fossil fuel connections.

Over 60 students rallied outside Bricker Hall and chanted various slogans including “You’re killing us” and “RIP fossil fuels,” NBC4 reported. Students reportedly walked out of class to participate, and one student donned a Grim Reaper costume.

[RELATED: Professor claims going online might be part of the solution to climate change]

“For too long, President Johnson and the Board of Trustees have ignored our demands for divestment,” OHYCJ wrote on Instagram. “We met at their offices and marched to the McCracken Power-plant and construction site of the new Fracked Gas CHP Plant. It’s time for OSU to end their reliance on the fossil fuel industry for good.”

The group posted its exact demands on its website, which included the “immediate divestment from the fossil fuel industry, reinvestment into renewable energy and the Columbus community, reparations to the Indigenous peoples whose land the university has profited off of.”

The group also demanded the university update its “climate action plan” to align with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports.

Other demands included stopping the construction of a heat and power plant on campus.

[RELATED: Student Senate pressures university to reject funding from energy companies] 

OHYCJ also provides a talking points guide users can refer to when discussing divestment. The document lists basic points about the cause. It also highlights anticipated questions and recommended responses.

Campus Reform contacted every university, organization, and individual mentioned. This article will be updated accordingly.