SFU students start hunger strike to protest fossil fuels

Some students at Simon Fraser University say they’ll start a hunger strike Monday to protest fossil fuels.

Student Jaden Dyer says the hunger strikers are demanding the university commit to full divestment from fossil fuels by 2025.

She says other post-secondary institutions, including UBC, the University of Victoria, and the University of Toronto, have made the divestment commitment.

“We are racing against the climate clock and it is time for SFU to raise its ambitions on climate mitigation, adaptation, and justice,” a letter written by the students reads. 

Dyer says the students will consume only salt, lemon water, and vitamins during the hunger strike.

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Climate tops global meeting agenda

The strike comes as more than 100 world leaders gathered in Glasgow for the start of the United Nations climate summit, COP26.

Meeting with many leaders here at #COP26. My message to them – and to the world – is that we must do more, faster. And we must do it together. #ClimateAction #TogetherForOurPlanet

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) November 1, 2021

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he will keep putting pressure on governments to do more to slow global warming.

He admits it is a challenging process to shift the trajectory of the world off of fossil fuels and onto more renewables and reduce our carbon emissions, but added so many in the world — including G20 members — are committed to doing the hard work.

British naturalist David Attenborough was among those appealing to world leaders, and educating on the fragility of the planet and humanity’s dependence on the natural world.

The 95-year-old documentary-maker, who was announced at Monday’s ceremonial opening as the “people’s advocate,” spoke ahead of presidents and prime ministers from more than 100 countries.

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Attenborough said for much of humanity’s existence, the climate on Earth had swung wildly before stabilizing 10,000 years ago, allowing human civilizations to flourish.

“The stability we all depend on is breaking,” he said.

Attenborough said the action necessary to curb greenhouse gas emissions to levels that would prevent dangerous global warming is possible, if countries move quickly and decisively.

“We are, after all, the greatest problem solvers to have ever existed on Earth,” he said. “If working apart, we are a force powerful enough to destabilize our planet. Surely working together, we are powerful enough to save it.”

With files from The Canadian Press