Fossil free research (FFR) is the demand that calls for universities to stop accepting research funding from fossil fuel companies. The FFR coalition includes students around the world trying to enact change at their universities.
Fossil fuel companies have long provided large amounts of funding to universities to boost their public images and retain sway over the content of the research. This is especially problematic when it comes to research regarding climate change and clean energy, because fossil fuel companies have a financial interest in slowing the transition away from fossil fuels. This creates a conflict of interest for scientists, who may be compelled to alter the results of their research in favor of the companies that fund it. Even if the research is not directly tied to the climate, fossil fuel companies are able to use it to appear more benevolent to the public. |
The Center for the History of Political Economy at Duke received a $5 million grant from the Charles Koch Foundation, led by the infamous Koch brothers. This money was used in 2021 to fund a lecture by Bjorn Lomborg, who is a leading promoter of theories that deny the existence of climate change.
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