'We don't buy it': Student activists protest ExxonMobil's role in S$60m low-carbon research lab at NTU

SINGAPORE: A Nanyang Technological University (NTU) student group is protesting against a S$60 million (US$44.5 million) corporate laboratory for low-carbon solutions that NTU has launched with oil and gas giant ExxonMobil. 

The group, called NTUDivest, is a student-led movement that advocates for the university to cut its investments in fossil fuel companies. 

It is part of the Singapore-wide Students for a Fossil Free Future (S4F), a group that campaigns against the oil and gas industry's alleged influence over the country's education system. 

The laboratory — a partnership between ExxonMobil, NTU, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) and the National Research Foundation — was launched by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Apr 26.

In a joint statement by the four bodies, it was said that the lab will "develop solutions that would help lower carbon emissions, contribute to resource efficiency and help build a more sustainable future". NTUDivest, however, has labelled the lab a "greenwashing project".

"HIGHLY CONCERNING"

In an Instagram post on May 12, NTUDivest called the partnership "highly concerning", given ExxonMobil's poor environmental track record, which includes walking away from a much-publicised investment in algae biofuels and blocking investors' climate proposals. 

In its post, NTUDivest wrote: "From climate breakdown to toxic environmental pollution, ExxonMobil is no stranger to downplaying their effects." 

It added that the student group is "extremely doubtful that funding of Singapore's clean energy transition should be so heavily funded and influenced by one of the most notorious mega oil companies".

In an emailed response on Sunday (May 26) to TODAY's queries, NTUDivest said that it was protesting to "ensure that the outcome of this expensive partnership creates positive social and environmental benefits and (is) not a greenwashing project".

WHAT NTU, EXXON AND A*STAR SAY

In an emailed response to TODAY last week, NTU stated that the new lab is "an important platform bringing together researchers from academia and industry to translate knowledge into solutions that will benefit society by supporting the green energy transition and other areas of sustainability".

"Working to create low-carbon solutions with industrial partners is exactly the sort of approach that is envisaged in NTU’s 2025 strategic plan," the university added.

It also said that the lab will "determine its approach to assessing the impact of new technologies as its research programmes take shape".

Separately, ExxonMobil told TODAY last week that its role in the lab was to contribute towards the adoption of new technologies by the industry.

"To support growing populations and rising standards of living, global demand for energy and products for modern living is projected to increase and governments and industry will have to find ways to meet that demand," it added. 

"An energy transition is underway, but it is not yet happening at the scale or on the timetable required to achieve society’s net-zero ambitions."

Thus, the company added that it has taken on an "all-of-the-above-approach" mindset, which includes meeting global energy demands while finding solutions for the energy transition through collaboration.

A*Star told TODAY that its mission is to "accelerate the translation of research into practical solutions" and "to help our partners track and reduce their carbon emissions".

"CONTINUE TO BE A WATCHDOG"

In its email to TODAY, NTUDivest's spokesperson Terese Teoh said that the students are not convinced by the statements put out by NTU and Exxon.

"Without evidence, and given past records, we doubt there is a genuine intention to do something for the climate. So we do not buy into what they are saying at all.

"Overall, they still have not answered any of our questions, so we continue to firmly believe that this project and such collaborations are greenwashing efforts that endanger our collective futures," Ms Teoh added.

The group has called for more student involvement in the partnership and greater transparency on the new technologies and how they align with Singapore’s net zero transition plan to lower carbon emissions.

Ms Teoh added that the group will "continue to be a watchdog on the school's greenwashing".

"We will continue to publicly call it out. We will continue to make ourselves heard, to amplify our message that such dubious partnerships are untenable and as students and stakeholders in this university, we will not stand for it."

This article was originally published in TODAY.