The secret minority Why Cambridge’s care leavers deserve better Opinion 11
In Conversation with Lord David Triesman p. 26
Is empathy uniquely human? p. 15
Behind the lens with White Lies Music 20
No. 889 Friday 12th March 2021 varsity.co.uk
Cambridge’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1947
Centre for Cities report warns of post-Covid risks for Cambridge’s economy
Director of Cambridge Zero to appear at Science Museum event despite fossil fuel ties Wiliam Hunter Investigations Editor Sophie Sleeman Investigations Correspondent Dr Emily Shuckburugh, Director of University climate change initiative Cambridge Zero, will speak at an event on climate change at the Science Museum on March 31st, despite a decision by environmental activist and writer George Monbiot to pull out. Monbiot criticised the Museum for its continuing sponsorship by fossil fuel companies BP and Equinor. Following Monbiot’s decision, comedian Robin Ince and environmentalist Mark Lynas have also stepped down from Science Museum events. Cambridge Zero Carbon Society have followed Extinction Rebellion Cambridge in calling for Dr Shuckburgh to step down from the panel. A spokesperson told Varsity: “Fossil fuel companies align themselves with respected institutions like the Science Museum in order to gain social capital, and be seen as respectable businesses, rather than part of a dangerous, toxic industry”. Zero Carbon emphasised to Varsity that Dr Shuckburgh’s decision to remain on the panel is related to the ongoing campaign for the University to cut its ties with the fossil fuel industry. A report from Zero Carbon in 2019 claimed that the University was promoting and supporting the industry, for instance by awarding academics with BP Chemistry professorships and Shell Chemical Engineering professorships. The University committed to full divestment by 2030
last October. In 2019, Dr Shuckburgh’s appointment to Cambridge Zero was called into question as she was accused of having ties with oil exploration firm Schlumberger in 2013, although the Guardian subsequently withdrew “unfair implications about [Dr Shuckburgh’s] interactions with the fossil fuel industry” and apologised. However, it did become apparent that Dr Shuckburgh had previously appeared multiple times to speak at BP affiliated events, giving climate science talks to masters students at the University’s BP institute in 2012, 2015 and 2018. This led many climate activists to accuse the Cambridge Zero program of ‘greenwashing’ for the University’s fossil fuel investors. Greenwashing is a term used to describe business practices that make a company or institution seem more environmentally friendly then they actually are, and while sometimes unintentional is more often a deliberate PR strategy. The Science Museum Group (SMG) has been widely criticised for its receipt of sponsorships from fossil fuel companies. In 2018, 48 leading scientists signed a complaint compiled by campaign group Culture Unstained outlining how the SMG has breached its ethics policy by accepting sponsorships from Shell, Equior, and BP. These sponsorships include the STEM Training Academy, sponsored by BP, and Wonderlab: The Equinor Gallery. An investigation by the Guardian found that Shell used their sponsorship of the Full story on page 2 ▶
Diana Stoyanova Deputy News Editor
▲ Protests were staged by Cambridge Zero Carbon in response to the University’s annoucement of the Cambridge Zero initiative (CAMBRIDGE ZERO CARBON)
The Centre for Cities think tank published a report this Tuesday (09/03) warning the government not to overlook the risk that Covid-19 could pose for Cambridge’s long-term prosperity. The report investigates the development between 2015 and 2018 of, as well as the potential risks caused by Covid for, the UK’s Fast Growth Cities (FGCs), comprising Cambridge, Oxford, Milton Keynes, Norwich, Peterborough and Swindon. The ‘Fast Growth Cities - 2021 and beyond’ report includes findings in six key areas: labour markets and skills & education; businesses and growth; high streets and city centres; housing and planning; transport; and the economic impact of the pandemic. According to the report, before the pandemic Cambridge was one of the fastest growing local economies. With 60% of its workers coming from outside of the city, Cambridge has been an important source of employment and research. However, 3.9% of eligible adults in the city are currently claiming employmentrelated benefits, which is an increase of 2.3 percentage points in comparison to March last year. Additionally, 12.6% of News page 3 ▶
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