MacDivest aims to better inform and increase engagement with students on climate crisis advocacy through Fossil Free Fridays
On Friday Oct. 20, McMaster Divestment Project launched their new outreach initiative, Fossil Free Fridays , which will run biweekly on Fridays throughout the semester.
Fossil Free Fridays aims to engage with students, raise awareness about the climate crisis and educate students on McMaster University’s investments in fossil fuel companies.
MacDivest was initiated three years ago as a McMaster OPIRG project. Their goal is to advocate for the university to pull out of their investments in fossil fuel companies and to increase awareness about the climate crisis.
“For three years as a group we've been pushing for the university to take its money out of fossil fuel investments, and to reinvest in green energy,” said Mila Py, a member of MacDivest.
Presently, McMaster holds 2.7 per cent of its investment portfolio in fossil fuel companies. Additionally, McMaster is building four natural gas-powered electric generators near campus on Cootes Drive, which was protested by MacDivest last spring with a hunger strike.
Fossil Free Fridays were first discussed by the group this past summer. Py stated that the intent is for them to be friendly and welcoming to attract students with a focus on raising awareness.
"With a high student turnover [and] so many new people on campus every year, the message that Mac is investing in fossil fuels doesn't stay in the minds of students,” explained Sydney Szijarto, another member of MacDivest.
With a high student turnover [and] so many new people on campus every year, the message that Mac is investing in fossil fuels doesn't stay in the minds of students.
Sydney Szijarto, member, MacDivest
Through these events MacDivest hopes to ensure that new students are made aware of McMaster’s reluctance to shift its fossil fuel investments into industries whose actions are not major contributors to rising global temperatures.
For their first Fossil Free Friday, a picnic was held on campus in front of the Burke Science Building and cookies were given out to students who stopped and engaged with MacDivest members. Informative flyers and stickers were also given out to students.
For future events, Py explained that many ideas are being considered, including having a climate-related chalk-art event, a coffee house, a potluck and sharing art and poetry relevant to climate activism.
Future updates on these events as well as others by MacDivest will be posted to their Instagram, @mcmasterdivest.
The eight day MacDivest hunger strike advocated for removal of the gas-powered generators on Cootes Drive and commitment to total divestment by 2025
The MacDivest hunger strike, which has garnered national media attention over its eightday duration, came to an end on Mar. 27.
In the article below, the Silhouette aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the key issues surrounding the MacDivest hunger strike and its impact on students.
The hunger strike
On Mar. 8, MacDivest announced that six students would be commencing a hunger strike as of Mar. 20, to pressure McMaster to cancel the Cootes generator project and commit to total divestment. In the lead-up to the start date of the strike, MacDivest representatives met with the university on multiple occasions.
The two parties were not able to come to an agreement, and, as of Mar. 20, five students associated with MacDivest officially began hunger striking. The strike began with a rally, featuring speeches from local activists and students.
The Silhouette attended this rally and spoke to students about their decision to strike.
Sydney Szijarto, a MacDivest representative and hunger striker, stated that McMaster has a responsibility to its students to protect their futures from the climate crisis.
“I chose McMaster, I am paying a fair bit of money to McMaster and contributing to the community, and I feel like that gives McMaster a responsibility to me — to hear what I have to say and to protect my future. I also feel like it gives me the responsibility to push McMaster towards being better and to being fossil free,” explained Szijarto.
I chose McMaster, I am paying a fair bit of money to McMaster and contributing to the community, and I feel like that gives McMaster a responsibility to me — to hear what I have to say and to protect my future. I also feel like it gives me the responsibility to push McMaster towards being better and to being fossil free.
Sydney Szijarto, MacDivest hunger striker
In the few days that followed the rally, two of the five students withdrew from the strike for health reasons and one other student joined midway through. On Mar. 24, McMaster Divest held a second rally to reiterate the demands of the strike and highlight that the three original strikers had now reached 100 hours without food.
This rally was attended by numerous students and local activists, including Sarah Jama, member of provincial parliament for Hamilton Centre, and Alex Wilson, Ward 13 city councillor, both of whom expressed support for the striking students.
“Students pay so much money to be here — thousands upon thousands of dollars — and they have a right to say that they don’t want to participate in and put money towards ruining our climate,” said Jama.
Wilson also stated that the students’ decision to hunger strike embodies the harms and the stakes of the climate crisis.
“As one of the strikers even said, this isn’t what they want to be doing, but they’re doing it because they fear we have a future of hunger if we don’t take action,” said Wilson.
Throughout the strike, the MacDivest posted daily video updates on thier Instagram page about the hunger strikers and their experiences. Over the week-long strike, strikers reported feeling dizzy, nauseous, weakened, exhausted and frustrated.
On Mar. 27, the eighth day of the strike, MacDivest made the decision to end the hunger strike, due to the increasingly serious health risks for strikers.
On Mar. 27, the eighth day of the strike, MacDivest made the decision to end the hunger strike, due to the increasingly serious health risks for strikers.
“Despite a week of the hunger strike and considerable notice prior to, we still hear the same statements from the university administration. In simple terms, they will continue their investments and use their natural gas generators, with their sustainability initiatives as a band aid to the support they provide to the fossil fuel industry,” said MacDivest in their Mar. 27 Instagram post.
In their own Mar. 27 statement, the university discussed MacDivest's decision to end the hunger strike.
"We are pleased that members of MacDivest chose to end their hunger strike as of Monday evening (Mar. 27). We look forward to ongoing conversations with our community," said the university in their Mar. 27 statement.
An overview of peak shaving at McMaster
One of the key demands of the MacDivest hunger strike was to suspend the gas-powered generator project on Cootes Drive. This project, first announced in March 2022, is a peak shaving initiative by the university. The goal of peak shaving is to lower the demand on the provincial electrical grid during select peak dates and times during the year.
In 2010, the province of Ontario introduced the Industrial Conservation Initiative, which offers reduced electricity rates to large electricity consumers who decrease their reliance on the provincial electrical grid during five peak hours throughout the year. Large electricity consumers that opt into this program are known as Class A consumers.
According to the province of Ontario website, one benefit of peak shaving is that, if enough large electricity consumers engage in this practice, the province will not need to build more infrastructure to support the provincial electrical system during peak times. The environmental impact of peak shaving, therefore, is that it can prevent the province from needing to build more gas-powered energy plants.
In the summer of 2014, McMaster Facility Services began their Chasing the Peak Initiative. According to McMaster University’s 2019 Energy Management Plan, peak times for electricity demand typically fall during the summer, when the university operates its cooling plant to regulate temperatures on campus.
During summer 2014, the university held an electricity conservation competition between different buildings on campus, successfully chasing the peak.
From 2014 to 2017, McMaster acted as a Class A electricity consumer and implemented conservation-based peak shaving. This saved McMaster approximately $2 million annually, according to the 2019 Energy Management Plan.
“During its time as a Class A consumer, the campus was successful in reducing its peak during the provincial peaks largely through end user actions under the “Chasing the Peaks” initiative. However, this was viewed as disruptive to campus activities,” reads McMaster’s Net Zero Carbon Roadmap.
During its time as a Class A consumer, the campus was successful in reducing its peak during the provincial peaks largely through end user actions under the “Chasing the Peaks” initiative. However, this was viewed as disruptive to campus activities.
McMaster University Net Zero Carbon Roadmap
In 2017, McMaster installed a gas-powered cogeneration unit to provide the university with an alternate electricity source during peak times, marking the end of their conservation-based peak shaving approach.
According to the Net Zero Carbon Roadmap, this cogeneration unit reduces campus electricity demands during peaks by 35 per cent. The roadmap then states that further generator capacity is required to further reduce demand during provincial peaks. If peak demand is reduced enough, the university can once again pursue Class A rates.
For the purpose of further peak shaving, the university announced last year their plan to build four gas-powered generators on Cootes Drive.
“Clearly, peak shaving in of itself is not a carbon reduction measure. Running the natural gas peak shaving generators plus the cogeneration unit to generate electricity adds to the campus direct emissions,” reads the university’s Net Zero Carbon Roadmap.
Clearly, peak shaving in of itself is not a carbon reduction measure. Running the natural gas peak shaving generators plus the cogeneration unit to generate electricity adds to the campus direct emissions.
McMaster University Net Zero Carbon Roadmap
The City of Hamilton, in the process of approving the generator project, acknowledged this likely increase in emissions as well.
“City staff did express concern [about] the increase of greenhouse gas emissions potential as a result of this type of project and stated it did not meet the objectives or intent of Hamilton City Council’s Climate Emergency Declaration,” stated Lauren Vastano, Communications Officer for the City of Hamilton, in an email to the Silhouette.
However, Vastano explained, the generator project does not contradict any city legislation or policy. Vastano stated that the City of Hamilton is eager to see how McMaster plans to offset the emissions and work towards a greener future.
C/O MacDivest
Adeola Egbeyemi, representative of Environment Hamilton, explained that Environment Hamilton is also concerned about the emissions from the generators.
“On regular days, more mild days like these, [the generators] just stand and do nothing. However, when we get to those peak days, they're designed to quickly fire up in response to those spikes. So, this actually makes them more polluting, compared to cleaner plants, because [the generators use] almost 50 per cent more natural gas to get [to that spike very quickly],” explained Egbeyemi.
Dr. James Quinn, a biology professor at McMaster University who has been involved in campus environmental activism for the past decade, also expressed concerns about the generators. Quinn stated to the Silhouette that green energy projects and peak shaving should not be equated. Quinn also spoke about the viability of conservation as a peak shaving approach.
According to Quinn, when the university last attempted conservation-based peak shaving, people were not given sufficient advanced notice and were therefore upset when the air-conditioning was shut off without warning. As well, Quinn said, the university did not consider the impact on labs and scientific research.
Quinn stated that, if attempted again and approached differently, the conservation approach could be more successful.
McMaster’s roadmap states that this conservation approach was disruptive to campus activities and that the reduced costs associated with peak shaving will have benefits for the university’s climate goals.
“Much of the reduction of [greenhouse gas] emissions on the McMaster campus involves fuel switching from natural gas to electricity as an energy source. In order to achieve this transition without significant increases in utility costs, the campus needs to reduce the electrical rate it pays,” reads the roadmap.
McMaster University has also stated that the money saved from peak shaving initiatives will go towards carbon reduction projects on campus. However, MacDivest representative Navin Garg explained to the Silhouette that, if the generators run for 60 hours per year, they will take 13 years to pay off before they begin generating revenue.
McMaster University has also stated that the money saved from peak shaving initiatives will go towards carbon reduction projects on campus. However, McMaster Divest representative Navin Garg explained to the Silhouette that, if the generators run for 60 hours per year, they will take 13 years to pay off before they begin generating revenue.
In her interview with the Silhouette, Egbeyemi also highlighted that this locks McMaster into over a decade of fossil fuel usage.
At the MacDivest rally on Friday, Peter Cooper, a former project manager at the University of Guelph and a Hamilton 350 affiliate, spoke about the possibility of peak shaving through battery storage of clean energy. Cooper stated that he spoke to a well-known Toronto company and was told that this peak-shaving method is not only greener but potentially more cost-effective as well.
In their Mar. 27 statement about the hunger strike, McMaster University stated that they are looking for ways to reduce the carbon footprint of the generators. They also described the generators as their best option for continuing to provide energy to campus when the provincial electrical grid is nearing its peak.
In an email to the Silhouette, McMaster explained that, although they have looked into batteries and other clean energy sources, they have determined that the gas-powered generators are the most reliable option.
"We recognize that batteries are a commonly proposed solution, however, we explored batteries and other renewable technologies, and the technology is not capable or reliable enough to power all of McMaster’s campus at this point. McMaster has a responsibility to make sure critical infrastructure on campus, such as medical labs, remains operational. We continue, however, to examine and find ways to do it as cleanly as possible," said the university, in an email to the Silhouette on Mar. 30.
Divestment at McMaster
The other key demand of the hunger strike was total divestment from fossil fuels.
The first on-campus group to advocate for divestment was Fossil Free McMaster, founded in 2013. Fossil Free McMaster was active for several years before adopting their current name, McMaster Divest, as of three years ago.
In March 2021, McMaster students engaged in their first climate strike, led by MacDivest and numerous other environmental activist groups on campus, which called for divestment as its primary goal.
Also in March 2021, McMaster University released a statement about their commitment to divestment, saying that President David Farrar had asked the Board of Governors to implement a divestment strategy.
The university has since released accelerated carbon reduction goals, outlined in a Mar. 15 statement.
“The university has committed to reducing the carbon exposure of our investments by 65 per cent by 2025; 75 per cent by 2030 and the rest as soon as possible after that,” reads the statement.
"The university has committed to reducing the carbon exposure of our investments by 65 per cent by 2025; 75 per cent by 2030 and the rest as soon as possible after that."
McMaster University, Mar. 15 statement
Currently, McMaster has 30.4 million dollars invested in the Carbon Underground 200, the largest two hundred owners of carbon reserves. In their recent activism, MacDivest has been calling for total divestment of this 30.4 million by 2025.
In their statement from Mar. 27, McMaster University discussed their goal of 75 per cent reduction by 2030, as it relates to the climate goals of other universities.
“McMaster’s reductions and targets are aggressive and are aligned with or surpass those of other Canadian universities,” reads the statement.
While many Canadian universities have not taken steps towards divestment, others have released divestment timelines more aggressive than McMaster’s. University of Toronto and University of British Columbia have both committed to total divestment from fossil fuels by 2030. Simon Fraser University has committed to total divestment by 2025.
When Garg spoke to the Silhouette earlier this month, they stated that the university does not use its investment portfolio politically. While the Silhouette has not been able to confirm this statement, McMaster’s Social Responsibility and Investing webpage identifies challenges with adopting rigid social or political guidelines for investment as a university, given that universities are large collective bodies that value dissent.
“[I]t would be invidious to presume that any single group could speak for all members of the University community. Such considerations militate against the establishment of inflexible guidelines for defining social policy as they relate to the investment decisions of the Planning and Resources Committee of the University,” states the webpage.
Garg addressed this concern directly in their interview with the Silhouette, emphasizing that MacDivest views divestment from fossil fuels as an environmental imperative rather than a political statement.
The university did not comment when asked whether commitment to divestment would be considered an inflexible guideline for defining investment-related social policy.
MacDivest has created an online petition to pressure the university to divest from fossil fuels. As of publication, the petition has over 1700 signatures.
On Mar. 29, Richard Brooks, Climate Finance Director of activist organization stand.earth, also released an open letter to the university, which was signed by 120 organizations from Canada and internationally. The open letter discusses the urgency of climate change, the importance of climate activism to upholding Indigenous self-determination and the precedent for divestment that has been set by over 1550 institutions worldwide.
"In 2021, the president of the University wrote to the Board of Governors with an explicit directive to develop a strategy for divestment from fossil fuels, and this directive is reflected in the university’s Strategic Plan. Two full years later, the Board has not implemented this directive," states the open letter.
Conclusion
While McMaster University has acknowledged the strike and the importance of student perspectives, the university has not made any further commitments to divestment nor to the cancellation of the generator project.
Although the hunger strike has ended, MacDivest has stated that they remain committed to the demands of the strike and to a fossil-free future for the McMaster community.
Five McMaster students are striking for divestment and to suspend the Cootes generator project
On Monday, McMaster Divest announced that five McMaster University students have officially begun hunger striking. The strikers are located in the MUSC atrium, where they have set up signs and posters advocating for divestment from fossil fuels.
The strike began with a rally at 11:00 a.m. on March 20. The rally featured speakers from McMaster Divest and from other community organizations, including Environment Hamilton and Grand(m)others Act to Save the Planet.
The strike began with a rally at 11:00 a.m. on March 20. The rally featured speakers from McMaster Divest and from other community organizations, including Environment Hamilton and Grand(m)others Act to Save the Planet.
Amarah Hasham-Steele, News Editor
Speakers led chants and discussed the impact that fossil fuels have on the environment.
Don McLean, representative of Hamilton 350 and an honorary degree holder at McMaster University, expressed his support for the strike. He emphasized in his speech the disproportionate impact of climate change on the Global South, highlighting that investment in fossil fuels harms the home countries of many international students.
“What the students in Mac Divest are doing is right, it’s just and it’s brave,” said McLean, in an interview with the Silhouette.
In an email to the Silhouette, McMaster University stated their commitment to a net-zero carbon campus and to divestment, but they also acknowledged that their approaches and timelines differ from McMaster Divest. The university also stated that they will be providing striking students with physical and mental health services, as well as regular checks with McMaster's Emergency First Response Team.
Dr. James Quinn, who has been a professor at McMaster since 1992, spoke at the rally about the urgency of the climate crisis, advocating for more immediate climate action.
In an interview with the Silhouette, Quinn also discussed the gas-powered generators being built at Cootes Drive, arguing that the desired result of peak-shaving could be achieved through conservation instead.
In an interview with the Silhouette, Quinn also discussed the gas-powered generators being built at Cootes Drive, arguing that the desired result of peak-shaving could be achieved through conservation instead.
Amarah Hasham-Steele, News Editor
According to Quinn, the university attempted conservation as a peak-shaving method once in 2016, shutting down air conditioning units during select peak times. This, Quinn said, negatively affected ongoing lab experiments at the time and received some negative attention.
“They didn’t do it the right way. But, in this day and age, when people understand what a climate crisis [is], if it was handled properly, it would be easy to repeat [the conservation] approach,” said Quinn.
On Mar. 15, McMaster Daily News released an article stating that McMaster has remained committed to divestment from fossil fuels and that fossil fuel companies make up 2.7 per cent of McMaster’s investment portfolio, down from 4.5 per cent in 2018.
“The university has committed to reducing the carbon exposure of our investments by 65 per cent by 2025; 75 per cent by 2030 and the rest as soon as possible after that,” reads the article.
According to a McMaster Divest Instagram post, McMaster Divest is advocating for a commitment to total divestment by 2025 and reinvestment in clean energy, with full public disclosure.
This is an ongoing story.
This article was updated to include a statement from McMaster University
Student divestment group urges McMaster to halt the installation plans for four new natural gas-powered generators at Cootes Drive
MacDivest is a student-run advocacy group whose mission is to end McMaster University’s $40 million in fossil fuel investments. Some of MacDivest’s most notable advocacy work includes their “Canada Is On Fire” protest at Hamilton City Hall in Sept. 2021 and their school-wide walk-out and rally in March 2022.
On Dec. 1, the student divestment group conducted an on-campus Keep Cootes Green rally, protesting the installment of new natural gas-powered generators next to Cootes Drive. This installation is being carried out as a part of Ontario’s Industrial Conservation Initiative, which aims to reduce the university’s overall energy costs.
MacDivest called out this initiative as counterintuitive and rallied for an alternative, greener solution. Cordelia McConnell is a Network Weaver for MacDivest, whose role involves connecting with other organizations. While speaking with The Silhouette, McConnell shared the importance and urgency of MacDivest’s advocacy for climate action.
“It's really key that we take action against this kind of thing. The numbers [McMaster] is releasing on the gas generators say they're going to produce 415 tonnes of carbon emissions every 60 hours operating on Cootes Drive,” said McConnell.
It's really key that we take action against this kind of thing. The numbers [McMaster] is releasing on the gas generators say they're going to produce 415 tonnes of carbon emissions every 60 hours operating on Cootes Drive.
Cordelia McConnell, a Network Weaver for MacDivest
In their Net Zero Carbon Roadmap, McMaster shared that the generators would be utilized to reduce demand on the provincial electrical grid, reduce the university’s electrical costs and ultimately improve energy security by lowering reliance on the grid.
McConnell shared that McMaster’s plans to move towards a net zero in climate disruption will not be effective in the current climate emergency and the damage already done can no longer be offset.
“There's not enough time for this planet if we're going to keep below the two-degree threshold to be continuing to invest in fossil fuels and these harmful methods of energy creation, just so [McMaster] can move towards being better. It's like we're taking three steps back so that we might take three steps forward. It makes no sense and it's just too late,” said McConnell.
There's not enough time for this planet if we're going to keep below the two-degree threshold to be continuing to invest in fossil fuels and these harmful methods of energy creation, just so [McMaster] can move towards being better. It's like we're taking three steps back so that we might take three steps forward. It makes no sense and it's just too late.
Cordelia McConnell, a Network Weaver for MacDivest
Leading up to the Keep Cootes Green rally, MacDivest has shared informational posts on their Instagram and hosted an Art Build for protestors to prepare signage. MacDivest also shared a letter they recently sent to the McMaster Board of Governors regarding the natural gas-powered generators, urging them to pull away from the project and opt for a green solution.
In their letter, MacDivest explained that the deadline to combat climate change is fast approaching. They shared that the time to start implementing sustainable energy solutions is now, and it should begin with halting the construction of the generators.
“It's very ironic for a university that markets based on being a school that is so close to these natural spaces, where you can always go for a hike in Cootes whenever you want, and then simultaneously be destroying the very earth that they claim to be supporters of,” said McConnell.
It's very ironic for a university that markets based on being a school that is so close to these natural spaces, where you can always go for a hike in Cootes whenever you want, and then simultaneously be destroying the very earth that they claim to be supporters of.
Cordelia McConnell, a Network Weaver for MacDivest
MacDivest looks to continue to hold McMaster accountable and advocate for sustainable, climate conscious and energy efficient solution.
MacDivest’s first in-person protest on campus a success as support intensifies for divestment across McMaster
Photo C/O: Shaded Lenz
McMaster University Student Center was abuzz on the morning of Oct. 27 as many Mac students rallied up for the sit-in organized by MacDivest as part of their ongoing mission to make divestment a reality at McMaster. The protest consisted of students banding together at the Student Center for a duration of 24 hours, until the morning of Oct. 28 to encourage the university to follow suit with the trend of divestment recently spearheaded by Canadian universities such as the University of Toronto and Simon Fraser University. Mainly, the students wished to grab the attention of McMaster’s Board of Governors, a major directorial committee responsible for McMaster’s budgeting and spending practices. Given the crucial role of the Board of Governors in determining the trajectory of divestment at McMaster, the sit-in event was geared directly towards the Board of Governors, naming itself as “Drain the B.o.G.”
Adeola Egbeyemi, a fourth-year arts and science student, is a representative of the arts and science student caucus at the McMaster Students Union and uses her knowledge to involve herself heavily in the divestment project.
“We did not expect this level of student engagement. We were very visible and we had a lot of students notice what was happening and want to get involved. Students are tired of climate inaction,” explained Egbeyemi.
Being MacDivest’s first in-person gathering following COVID-19 safety protocols, the rebellious measures employed in the sit-in are a response to the university’s repeated pattern of inaction towards the climate emergency throughout this year. In February of 2021, McMaster’s financial affairs and facility services hosted a virtual town hall regarding McMaster’s investment decision where all Zoom controls were deactivated, effectively rendering the town hall a seminar, and not providing a platform for students to voice criticisms. Immediately following this in March 2021, the first climate strike was coordinated with MacDivest and 13 other activist groups across Hamilton where over 100 letters were sent demanding divestment, with no responses from the McMaster administration or the Board of Governors.
Photo C /O: Shaded Lenz
Caption: Adeola Egbeyemi speaks at the sit-in
Over the summer, McMaster University’s secretary and privacy officer contacted MacDivest to state that the Chair of the Board of Governors had asked for a written submission from, to which MacDivest preferred to present their findings in a virtual meeting format with the Chair and other relevant parties present due to the earlier submission of letters, to which they received no further responses from the Board of Governors. Finally, the event which forced MacDivest to conduct the sit-in as a physical form of protest on campus was the power washing of a mural painted which emblazoned “no brighter world without divestment.”
MacDivest chose Thursday, Oct. 27 to put on the sit-in, given that it was the day before the Board of Governors were to meet for the first time in the 2021-2022 academic year and since David Farrar, the president of McMaster demanded the Board craft a divestment plan.
The sit-in wished to evaluate how the Board of Governors approached the divestment planned and if it was in accordance with MacDivest’s thoroughly researched demands.
“We expected there to be lower to higher points of engagement throughout the sit-in as it is a 24-hour event and at our highest point of engagement was when community speakers addressed the university, with over 50 people listening in. We had around 30 people sleep in at the Student Center,” explained Egbeyemi.
The sit-in was a carefully planned event on behalf of MacDivest, with planning beginning over reading week and MacDivest coordinators reaching out to various experienced activists and organizers involved in the Hamilton climate scene, specifically with Defund HPS and Hamilton 350. The sit-in was coordinated by four MacDivest internal teams dedicated to managing various aspects of the event.
The sit-in attracted the attention of McMaster University security services, who reached out to MacDivest on Oct. 26, a day before the sit-in was set to occur. Security services expressed concerns regarding COVID-19 safety protocols and fire safety and had attempted to convince MacDivest to end the sit-in and disperse the crowd at 11 p.m. instead of conducting it overnight as planned.
“We had Divest members who were fire safety trained be present for every shift and we were not going to back down on our event. We felt surveilled by campus security throughout the sit-in,” said Egbeyemi.
Despite the success of the event, when MacDivest did attend the anticipated Board of Governors meeting, they were faced with disappointing news that divestment was not announced. In place of complete divestment, the Board of Governors in conjunction with President Farrar announced a carbon neutral plan and stated that McMaster’s indirect investments with asset managers were too complicated to facilitate divestment.
However, support still reigns strong for MacDivest, with most student faculty groups at McMaster chiming in their support and the McMaster Students Union endorsing university-wide divestment while divesting themselves. MacDivest and its projects are also backed by McMaster Green Invest, a group of McMaster professors fighting for reinvestment in non-fossil fuel industries, with many faculty members expressing their views on why Mac should divest.
However, deciphering why the Board of Governors refuses to take the final step towards divestment despite the entire university voicing their support is not MacDivest’s responsibility. MacDivest only intends to keep pushing the university to recognize the facts of climate change and that the climate crisis is here to stay. This sit-in also demonstrated to the Mac community and students how intensely tied the Board of Governors are to the fossil fuel industry and how removed they are from the sentiments of the university, with many Board members such as Chair Bradley Merkel having decades of history at major fossil fuel corporations such as Imperial Oil and ExxonMobil.
“The involvement of fossil fuels and those who have a stake in it should be separated from an institution that brings in students and is about a ‘brighter world’ and a brighter future. McMaster needs to live up to its saying and it should actively try to also have a stake in creating that brighter future,” said Egbeyemi.
Board of Governor’s Secretary Andrea Thyrett-Kid was not available to comment on the situation when contacted.
The Sil will continue to monitor the development of divestment at Mac.
C/O Ro's Shaded Lenz, Instagram
After spending all of September breaking barriers, Mac Divest is back and here to stay
It is no secret that the climate is changing before our very eyes. From increasing heat waves in the summer to a predicted violent winter, the typical weather patterns of our past are slowly ceasing to exist. "Climate doomer-ism,” a nihilistic belief in the irreversibility of the climate crisis is becoming increasingly common as people become desensitized to a slew of time sensitive statistics. This mentality can especially be seen when natural disasters hit other countries. After all, what is there to do as one individual, when a disaster of epic proportions appears to become more and more of a reality?
Organization and mobilization are the philosophies adopted by McMaster Divest, a campus-based climate advocacy group dedicated to ending McMaster’s $40 million in investments in fossil fuels. Mac Divest is funded by the Ontario Public Interest Research Group. The group does the necessary research, policy, and protest organization work to facilitate conversations around divestment in order to encourage the university to divest. Fall 2021 has been significant for Mac Divest, who after a summer of campaigning, have been tirelessly protesting McMaster’s investment decisions through murals, speaking with those in charge, expanding the goals it addresses and coordinating actions to address the climate crisis with local grassroots organizations.
“Divestment is ridding McMaster of all of its investments in fossil fuels . . . Divestment is becoming more and more likely to happen at McMaster since many prestigious universities, states, provinces [are] divesting. Given Mac’s prestigious reputations, we are hoping divestment becomes a reality here as well,” said Maymoon “Moon” Bhuiyan, a material sciences student extensively involved with Mac Divest.
In addition to striving towards its long-term divestment goals, Bhuiyan and his co-executive of Divest, arts and science student Adeola Egbeyemi, are actively coordinating protests, speaking at protests, voicing solidarity and cooperating with Hamilton climate organizations.
“We do direct action work such as speaking events, protest by art and of course support divestment campaigns across Canada. McMaster Divest is one of the bigger movements, as we grew very fast. We want to lead by example and so getting McMaster so close to divesting shows solidarity with the work of other universities as well,” explained Bhuiyan.
Bhuiyan and other McMaster students have been arranging a series of protests to not only put pressure on the McMaster community, but also policymakers in Hamilton. Bhuiyan believes that protesting and making establishments uncomfortable with their environmental decisions is crucial to passing legislation in favor of mitigating the climate crisis. This rings true now more than ever as policies and awareness surrounding climate change are on crossroads of transitioning away from fossil fuels.
Currently, Mac Divest is working with other environmental clubs across McMaster and Hamilton to urge the City of Hamilton to sign the Fossil Fuels Non-Proliferation Treaty, a treaty designed to end all new investments and production of fossil fuels. Bhuiyan hopes pushing against the municipality will pressure Mac to consider divestment.
Photo C/O: Maymoon Bhuiyan, @bhuiyanmymoon , Instagram
Photo Caption: Bhuiyan stands at Hamilton City Hall at the “Canada Is On Fire” protest.
Sept. 8 marked the day of the “Canada Is On Fire” protest led by Mac Divest and Hamilton 350 at Hamilton City Hall. Bhuiyan spoke at city hall, urging officials to sign a policy decreasing their use of fossil fuel consumption to varying responses. While Some city officials were reluctant, divest saw success after compelling Matthew Green, a New Democratic Party member of Parliament to sign with other politicians present at the protest.
On Sept. 24, Bhuiyan organized the Hamilton Climate Strike march with his friend Felicia Mikrogianakis, a material sciences student at McMaster who works with Fridays for Future Hamilton, an international youth-led climate organization started by Greta Thunberg. The march had over a hundred attendees despite only a week of advertisement, demonstrating that the climate crisis is not brushed aside by Mac students, or the Hamilton community at large. It is gaining traction.
Divest plans on holding a meeting with the McMaster University Board of Governors on Oct. 28 to vote on the divestment of fossil fuels. Chair of the board, Bradley Merkel, is the former ExxonMobil Director. As the Chair and with years of experience in fossil fuel industries, Merkel’s vote will be monumental to determining if McMaster is convinced to reorient its investment strategies.
“We will not endorse a partial divestment as divestment. We will continue to fight for full divestment, and we will get it soon,” said Bhuiyan.
Bhuiyan, an activist who specializes in racial justice, credits his experiences and learning to major activist movements prominent in his home state of New York, such as Black Lives Matter. He is determined to ensure Mac Divests’ goal expands beyond sole divestment and is inclusive of all social issues intrinsically connected to climate justice, namely racial climate justice.
Divest is expanding its long-term goals to collaborate with Indigenous groups, believing climate justice to be tied to Indigenous sovereignty.
Bhuiyan is currently working with organizations such as Greenpeace Hamilton and Hamilton 350 addressing the impact of Baffinland Iron Mines Corporations’ mining operations on Inuit land in Nunavut. Namely, Divest and Bhuiyan intend on opposing the expansion of these open iron ore mines proposed by ArcelorMittal, a steel conglomerate.
“This expansion will change everything. It will impact Inuit food security, safety, the Inuit way of life. We are currently drafting a letter to the next honourable minister of Northern Affairs and then the Nunavut Impact Board to voice on university support to stop this expansion,” said Bhuiyan.
On par with its new mandates to further racial climate justice, Divest is also currently involved with the International Coalition of Human Rights in the Philippines to address Canadian investment of fossil fuels in the country. Divest is focusing on bringing to light the actions of two major Canadian mining giants OceanaGold Corp and TVI Pacific and their subsequent social and environmental impact on the Philippines.
“Many groups including the Filipino McMaster Student Association are speaking up. This is a big push against mining. Canadian mining in the Philippines is a perfect example of neocolonialism, where these large companies are making money off of the backs of people in the Philippines, while the people continue to suffer. McMaster is just giving executives to these horrible companies. There are two executives on OceanaGold with McMaster degrees,” said Bhuiyan.
Mac Divest intends to keep its momentum up with many other projects planned for the academic year. One of their main goals is to focus on increasing collaboration with the other environmental groups on campus.
C/O Yoohyun Park
MacDivest paints mural to demand attention from the Board of Governors
On March 4, 2021, McMaster University announced that President David Farrar had urged the Board of Governors to divest from their use of fossil fuels as an investment pool.
“President David Farrar has asked the Board of Governors to put in place a strategy to divest fossil fuels from the university’s institutional investment pool as soon as possible,” stated the University.
Farrar spoke about how the McMaster community wants to see consistent changes.
“It is necessary, alongside our carbon reduction activities, to confirm that we want to be a leader in these areas and so today I asked the university’s Board of Governors to work with us to put in place a strategy to divest fossil fuels from our institutional investment pool as soon as possible,” said Farrar.
These sentiments rang through the McMaster community. Groups like MacDivest are curious about what this could actually mean for the future of McMaster.
MacDivest is a public interest project under OPIRG McMaster, a nonprofit organization that offers students the chance to take action on social justice and environmental issues.
As a group, MacDivest has two goals. The first is a continual attempt to raise awareness about McMaster’s investment in fossil fuels. The second aims to create a plan for divestment that has a basis behind it, factoring in McMaster and the current environmental climate.
As such, the group has organized, and continues to plan, different ways to bring light to this issue. On Sept. 13, they banded together to paint a mural with the phrase “No brighter world without divestment” on the front steps of Gilmour Hall.
Simran Dhindsa, a member of MacDivest, explained why this was chosen.
“We were debating multiple places . . . but once we arrived to the area we were like this seems like the perfect place to lay out our image. [We chose that area] because the Board of Governors office is there. Our mural was a message to them, to bring awareness that we have been demanding action about climate change for a while and about divestment,” said Dhindsa.
She went on to explain that the mural was painted due to a lack of action from the Board of Governors.
“Seeing news like [Farrar’s announcement] is motivating, that conversations like that are happening. At the same time, it seems more to just say that ‘conversation’ is happening instead of actually taking action about them. MacDivest earlier this year sent hundreds of letters to the Board of Governors and they didn’t really acknowledge that or even give a reply,” explained Dhindsa.
"MacDivest earlier this year sent hundreds of letters to the Board of Governors and they didn’t really acknowledge that or even give a reply."
Simran Dhindsa, member of MacDivest
Srishti Sharma, a student at McMaster, saw the mural being painted that morning.
“I thought it was very empowering,” said Sharma.
According to Dhindsa, five hours after they had painted the mural it was promptly washed off. She explained that they had begun at 9 a.m. and by 1 p.m. it was being washed off. However, despite the mural being washed off, Dhindsa believes they had made their message clear.
“David Farrar — we had met him that morning and he did see us make the mural. So I think we kind of accomplished our goal of making them aware,” said Dhindsa.
On Sept, 16, MacDivest shared an official response to McMaster’s treatment of the mural.
“We are deeply disappointed at McMaster’s lack of tolerance to a mural that was not obscene or impeding anyone’s experience on campus . . . The power washing of the mural was symbolic of the treatment our efforts encouraging McMaster to divest have endured,” stated MacDivest.
“We are deeply disappointed at McMaster’s lack of tolerance to a mural that was not obscene or impeding anyone’s experience on campus . . . The power washing of the mural was symbolic of the treatment our efforts encouraging McMaster to divest have endured.”
macdivest
When the Silhouette reached out to the Board of Governors, they declined an interview.
An introduction to the divestment movement at McMaster, even if you’ve never heard the word “divest” before. No tutorials required.
By: Natalie Palumbo, Nicole Graziano, Mymoon Bhuiyan and Adeola Egbeyemi, Contributors
This article is written by members of McMaster Divest.
Instructor: OPIRG Group McMaster Divest
Email: macdivest@opirgmcmaster.ca
Lecture: One-time reading
History of MacDivest
Welcome to the Winter 2021 one-reading course: DIVEST 1A03! In the context of higher education, fossil fuel divestment involves universities removing their investments in stocks, bonds and other forms of invested funds from the fossil fuel industry. Like many universities, McMaster University currently invests in fossil fuel companies.
At McMaster, the divestment movement traces back to 2013 when OPIRG project Fossil-Free McMaster began to advocate for divestment from fossil fuel companies. Although the efforts of students and faculty of Fossil-Free McMaster led to McMaster creating a committee to evaluate the possibility of divestment of endowment funds, ultimately no further action was taken.
Divestment Evaluation - Details
Moral Reasons
The use and production of fossil fuels are directly tied to climate change. It is a fact that as fossil fuels are mined, carbon emissions enter the atmosphere and raise the global average temperature, causing a host of problems and exacerbating others.
It’s no secret that fossil fuel companies have been repeatedly linked to human rights abuses and have shown that profits trump human rights, notably on Canadian soil. This is particularly concerning when we consider the effects of fossil fuels on Indigenous populations within Canada, such as oil spills and discharges.
Consider this: How can McMaster honour the promises made in their land acknowledgements if their investments support companies that build pipelines across Indigenous lands, threatening the livelihood and sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples?
How can McMaster honour the promises made in their land acknowledgements if their investments support companies that build pipelines across Indigenous lands, threatening the livelihood and sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples?
We know we sound like huge tree huggers, but hear us out — as students, it is also discouraging to know that our tuition supports an institution that’s invested in the slow roast of the planet by way of fossil fuel companies.
Leadership Reasons
“As a global university, we must recognize the important role we play through all of our sustainability efforts, which include responsible investments,” said McMaster president, David Farrar in 2020.
All universities will likely end up divesting, it is simply a matter of when. How embarrassing is it that in the middle of a climate crisis, McMaster wants to watch and see how divestment impacts other universities first?
This contradicts the idea that McMaster plays a global leadership role, as they are riding on the coattails of global institutions, as well as smaller Canadian universities that have shown real leadership. McMaster prides itself on its achievements, its sustainability efforts included. It would be a hollow victory if McMaster announced its divestment plan after watching other universities divest and assessing their processes.
Divestment Misconceptions
Misconception 1:
“But when we divest from these companies, we lose our seat at the table as shareholders, we can no longer engage and advocate for them to be more sustainable!”
Sustainability is avoiding the depletion of natural resources to maintain Earth’s ecology. There is no amount of advocacy that can make a company, whose goal is the antithesis of this (i.e. mining natural resources), environmentally friendly. Even if we could, the activism coming from McMaster’s tiny investment could not change a company’s mind anyway.
Misconception 2:
“If our investment is so tiny, then what is the point? You won’t make a difference with divestment, so why bother?”
McMaster’s investment is small in terms of financial capital, yes, but is massive in terms of social capital. Divestment looks to devalue social capital by sending a message that investing in fossil fuels is not okay. In addition, divestment is becoming an increasingly sound investment decision to make, no matter how small. Fossil fuels seem to be an industry in decline, seeing increasing amounts of trouble regularly.
Misconception 3:
“Oh, that’s real nice. You want McMaster to divest from fossil fuel companies, while the whole campus uses fossil fuels to run! Very hypocritical for the consumers to divest from the suppliers.”
First of all, if McMaster wanted to research, plan and conduct a smooth, equitable transition to a fossil-free campus, we would be all for it! But McMaster obviously isn’t a top world research university, so that’s silly talk. Divestment isn’t mutually exclusive from going fossil-free, we’re just a part of the worldwide movement for this particular systematic change.
Misconception 4:
“I know investment funds and tuition money are two separate pools of funding. But it’s still university money that should be diversified for a balanced portfolio.”
We agree! Loss of diversification is not good. That’s why there are companies in the energy sector that can be invested in that do not emit carbon dioxide! In fact, MacGreenInvest is a group of McMaster faculty that has been working since 2015 for reinvestment of these divested funds into sustainable initiatives.
The benefits of divestment are that McMaster can begin to actively, mindfully and genuinely invest in green companies and start-ups, forming a reciprocal relationship with the technology and energy sources we want to see thrive in the future.
We know we haven’t answered all the misconceptions about divestment at McMaster. There are still well-placed concerns about the complexities of removing pooled funding and monitoring progress year-by-year. But once you start thinking about the complexities of how to divest, you’ve already agreed then that divestment is necessary.
Next Steps
Hopefully you, the reader, are now on board with the fossil fuel divestment movement. You’ve aced the exam and secured that 12! Now what?
You can keep up with MacDivest work to move McMaster away from unsustainable investments on Instagram and Facebook. You can sign this petition calling on McMaster to take divestment action. You can even simply spread awareness with your friends and community by, for instance, sharing this article.
As individuals, it would be difficult to convince McMaster to divest. However, as a collective group, in the McMaster community and worldwide, working towards an actual brighter world is possible.
