In this series of articles, we have focused on energy innovation. We have described how energy innovation will likely be an accelerator of human societal progress. We’ve discussed how major end-items, such as cars and planes, are being converted to electricity. We’ve described how societies are converting their infrastructure to electricity by adding charging stations and revolutionizing their power grids. We’ve talked about renewable energy and how it is overcoming challenge. And finally, we’ve introduced the ultimate form of energy—nuclear fusion—and how it could become a reality within two decades. Behind much of this progress, however, lies a major driving factor—a younger generation.
Students at Harvard held Heat Week in April 2019 to focus attention on climate change. The Crimson, the Harvard student paper, called for Harvard to divest itself of all petroleum funds, which reportedly is about 1% of the university’s $40B endowment. (This position is opposed by the administration.) Over 300 Harvard faculty joined this battle by signing a petition. So far almost fifty US colleges and universities have chosen to sell all or some of the petroleum stocks. Worldwide, over the last nine years, more than one thousand institutions have made the decision to unload petroleum, parting with $8.8T in assets.
Young people, students in particular, see their futures as being tied to clean energy. It has become this generation’s protest movement: anti-war, anti-nuke, anti-apartheid, anti-tobacco, and anti-war (again) have given way to anti-petroleum. Students perceive established institutions as being tone-deaf–simply not listening–and they intend to make themselves heard, starting at (where else?) college campuses.
Many students worry about climate change. “It’s our future, and we are going to bear the burden of what our parents and grandparents have done. There’s this kind of imminent need to take action because our futures are really on the line,” said one student leader at Harvard. Interestingly, such action may not only save the environment but also spur on human development.
Reference:
Steven Mufson, “Harvard takes heat over fossil fuel holdings” Washington Post, 7 July 2019, G1; also available at https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/harvard-says-fighting-climate-change-is-a-top-priority-but-it-still-wont-divest-from-fossil-fuels/2019/07/02/b6547684-9d03-11e9-9ed4-c9089972ad5a_story.html
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