Parents sound the alarm: New report reveals concerns over fossil fuel school sponsorships harming children, with over half of parents backing an Australian-first restriction on coal, oil and gas companies’ activity in schools
A new survey by communications collective, Comms Declare and peak environment body, Conservation Council ACT, has revealed increased worry and alarm over fossil fuel companies’ involvement in schools.
As pupils across the country return to school this week, new data indicates growing demand for a pollution-free education. Over half (56%) of parents support demands for an Australian first restriction in the ACT on coal, oil and gas companies advertising or sponsoring activities and programs for their children.
The Education Department is set to review the Territory’s School Sponsorship Policy, providing the rare opportunity for the government to draw a line in the sand and back a clean energy education for over 80,000 pupils.
Schools are vital to helping prepare students for the future. However, fossil fuel companies sponsor more than 60 school programs nationwide, polluting the learning environment, providing one-sided information about climate change and ignoring the benefits of moving to renewable energy sources.
Over half of parents (55.3%) in the study believe the greatest impact of fossil fuel sponsorship is that it promotes biased insights into energy consumption. Despite their duty of care, schools with these advertising and sponsorship deals have ignored parental fears that partnerships will increase the appeal of fossil fuels to children.
Backed by over three quarters of ACT parents surveyed (who believe that school programs should be funded more by governments than coal, oil and gas companies) Comms Declare and Conservation Council ACT are calling for fossil fuel companies to be added to the prohibited list of products for ads and sponsorship in ACT schools, in what would be a country-wide first.
Simon Copland, Conservation Council ACT Executive Director, says: “The ACT government has a chance to be a true climate leader here, with the first ever ban on coal and gas school sponsorships in Australia. They can demonstrate a viable path forward for the rest of the country.
“We’re seeing Australian children lose more years of good health to disease from air pollution than tobacco smoke. There are already preventions on tobacco companies reaching commercial arrangements with schools. Why would we allow the companies doing this kind of harm into supposedly safe spaces for our kids?
“Parents are deeply concerned about the impact these companies can have on their children, and it’s evident we need to be shielding them and showing positive alternatives in the renewable space. There’s a very real opportunity in the ACT to provide a clean energy education for pupils but this is a growing nationwide issue. A ban on fossil fuel advertising in schools is an obvious step in the right direction.”
Comms Declare Founder, Belinda Noble adds “In the ACT, more than 20 local businesses have pledged to be fossil free because they know clean energy is the future. Our children deserve to know that too – and be protected from biased school lessons from corporate sponsors.
“The Paris Agreement requires signatories to enhance climate change education, and this is an opportunity for the ACT to lead the way with an Australian first.”
Nic Seton, Parents For Climate CEO, agrees: “With pollution from coal, gas and oil increasing and directly threatening our kids’ health, and driving more unnatural weather extremes that also threaten our kids’ wellbeing and education, we cannot accept sponsorship and benefits to coal, oil and gas through our school system. As parents, we are concerned that kids are being used for their agenda. We need to keep kids safe from the impacts of coal, oil and gas, pollution and climate impacts driven by those fuels.
“Instead, parents want to see schools supported with clean energy and batteries that give them resilience and independence from the rising costs of coal, oil and gas. Parents for Climate members have told me they are concerned about, and don’t want to see, coal, gas and oil sponsorship in their schools. We wouldn’t accept it from other agendas, we don’t accept it from tobacco, why would we accept it from an industry that needs to stop threatening our kids’ futures?
“It’s time we support our kids for the future instead of holding them back in the past, which we know is not conducive to their health, wellbeing and future prosperity.”
Jess Oakeshott, Canberra Parents for Climate Representative, agrees: “There’s no place for advertising in schools from these fossil fuel companies who make billions of dollars selling polluting products.
“Our schools shouldn’t be providing a platform via sponsorship for companies that are jeopardising our kids’ futures. Instead, they need to focus on protecting and safeguarding our children. I want my son to learn to recognise and call out unacceptable behaviour – and I want his school to help by setting an example.
“It’s unacceptable that coal, oil and gas companies are targeting children like this to try and buy social licence, and schools that accept this promotion are endorsing their actions.”
The report surveyed 1008 parents from across the country and found that:
- 73% of parents surveyed are concerned that global warming will affect the lives of their children and grandchildren
- 55.3% of parents surveyed believe the greatest impact of fossil fuel sponsorship is that it gives false/one-sided information about energy use, and ignores the benefits of moving to renewables.
- 56% of parents would support restrictions on coal, oil and gas companies’ commercial activities in schools, much like there already exists on banking, junk food, tobacco and weapons manufacturers in some states
- 64% of parents would support the government restricting fossil fuel advertising or sponsorships
- 88% of parents in the ACT feel that school programs should be funded more by governments than coal, oil and gas companies
Read how fossil fuel companies use STEM programs to influence children
Tell politicians to ban fossil fuel advertising and sponsorships
