“Publicly funded research into fossil fuels technologies, and ‘search and exploit’ missions to find and develop oil fields, is a bad subsidy and is artificially distorting energy markets in favour of the big oil and gas companies,” says Andrew Simms, policy director of the New Economics Foundation, “It undermines progress towards the necessary development of renewable energy alternatives. The neglect means that solutions to global warming could already have been fatally delayed.”
The report outlines the mechanisms of ‘capture’ of academic departments and institutions - through personal connections, donations, funding and employment for graduates. Oil companies may donate buildings, equipment and cash, and sponsor academic posts and staff or student secondments - revenue streams that cash strapped universities can ill afford to refuse.
Rebecca Spencer of Corporate Watch, said: “Degrees of Capture exposes one part of the creeping takeover of British universities by corporate interests. This takeover threatens academic independence, damages our universities’ credibility and could have serious consequences for society as a whole”
The report outlines the mechanisms of ‘capture’ of academic departments and institutions - through personal connections, donations, funding and employment for graduates. Oil companies may donate buildings, equipment and cash, and sponsor academic posts and staff or student secondments - revenue streams that cash strapped universities can ill afford to refuse.
Rebecca Spencer of Corporate Watch, said: “Degrees of Capture exposes one part of the creeping takeover of British universities by corporate interests. This takeover threatens academic independence, damages our universities’ credibility and could have serious consequences for society as a whole”