1. Introduction
Louise Sales
This report examines the relationship between the oil and gas industry and the UK higher education sector, and assesses this in the context of climate change. It asks if some parts of the higher education sector have been ‘captured’a by the industry. The report looks in detail at how much influence oil and gas companies have over R&D priorities, and to what extent public money is supporting both the extraction of fossil fuels and the profits of carbon-intensive corporations. Universities could play an important role in leading the debate about energy economics and developing sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. Yet universities are engaged in research and technology development which is used by the oil and gas industry, and are the recruiting and training grounds for its future managers. After detailing the ways in which the research and teaching agendas are influenced by oil companies, the report makes a series of recommendations to put universities onto a more sustainable path.
Sculpture on wall of key oil centre the Royal School of Mines at Imperial College, London – blackened from car exhaust fumes
4 DEGREES OF CAPTURE