- Target:
- EUSA, University of Edinburgh
- Region:
- Scotland
- Website:
- peopleandplanet.org
In 2009 the Royal Bank of Scotland was the largest company in the world by assets. With global assets of over $1120bn, the Royal Bank of Scotland is the second largest private bank in Europe, and sixth in the world. Despite creating a public image of the 'good neighbour', RBS is investing in projects that have devastating effects on the environment.
Most notably, RBS is funding the extraction of petroleum from Canadian tar sands - Canada’s single-most producer of greenhouse gases, which has been described as 'the most destructive industrial project on earth'. This extraction is very energy intensive and threatens the boreal ecosystem of forest in Canada. RBS (now 84% funded by taxpayers) has underwritten the largest number of loans for the tar sands projects, more than any other UK bank.
Recently the University of Edinburgh decided to end an historic 300 year partnership with the Bank of Scotland in shifting all their banking to RBS. Considering the increasing number of ‘green’ initiatives being supported by the university, we believe this decision to be a significant step back.
For more information and a link to the report ‘Cashing in on Tar Sands: RBS, UK banks and Canada’s “blood oil”’, go to http://peopleandplanet.org/navid9584
We, the undersigned, call upon the University’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal Sir Timothy O’Shea and Rector Ian McWhirther to do everything in their power to cease banking with the Royal Bank of Scotland.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Stop Edinburgh University banking with RBS petition to EUSA, University of Edinburgh was written by Ebony Ruggero and is in the category Environment at GoPetition.