July Newsletter of the Climate Justice Universities Union
Dear Members,
As the devastating impacts of fires, drought, heat and floods expand, the need for transformative climate justice is more urgent than ever. The Climate Justice Universities Union continues to bring people together to support collective action toward structural and systemic change advancing climate justice.
In this July newsletter we share news of past and upcoming Union-wide events, CJUU branch updates from Ireland, North America and the UK, as well as members' personal advocacy efforts and pursuits toward climate justice, which connect back to the core collective goals in the Climate Justice Universities Union Manifesto.
In solidarity ~ The Climate Justice Universities Union Coordinating Team
Collective Action Town Hall 23rd July
Thank you to all members who attended the CJUU's first Collective Action Town Hall meeting, which was held online on Thursday 23rd July. The meeting was introduced by CJUU co-convenors, Jennie Stephens and John Barry.
After outlining the history, structure and aims of the Union, there followed an engaging discussion with participants on how to set up a branch, what lessons could the Union learn from other initiatives such as Extinction Rebellion and Scientist Rebellion, the acknowledgement of the different (and sometimes difficult) political contexts members face in organising, the importance of multiple communication opportunities to engage union members to connect (an email listserv was proposed) and suggestions for future all-Union events.
The next Town Hall will be held on Thursday 10 September, 7pm Irish Time, 2pm EST, 11am Pacific. All are welcome to discuss strategy and collective action! Join for another empowering discussion about the power of collective action and organising, and to learn more about the strategies and structures within the Climate Justice Universities Union. Register here!
Climate Justice Universities Union Manifesto
Union members have co-developed a Manifesto that includes 15 specific campaigns and collective goals that we are working toward in different ways. This manifesto is a living document and we encourage members to have a look at our latest version below, which was last updated on 24 July.
Branches and working groups can collectively select which of these campaigns to focus on, and additional, new campaign ideas can be proposed and added to this working document. If members have any suggestions for the manifesto, we would love to hear from you at climatejusticeuni@proton.me.
CJUU Branch & Member Updates
CJUU North America Flash Panel on AI-Free Teaching: Tips and Strategies, with Ryan Cales and Amy Woodson-Boulton, 21 August 2026
Join the latest CJUU North America Flash Panel on 21 August, titled AI-Free Teaching: Tips and Strategies, with Loyola Marymount University's Amy Woodson-Boulton and University of Richmond's Ryan Cales.
Learn how faculty are approaching AI-free teaching and strategies that you can apply to your courses. These Monthly Flash Talks occur every third Friday, 12-1 pm Eastern time. Find our archive of past flash talks/flash panels here, and register for any of these events at bit.ly/CJUU-NA-ZOOM.
Supporting activists in court in the United States
The murder of Joan Sebastian Guerrero at the hands of an ICE agent in Biddeford, Maine, has led to more protests against ICE in the US in late July. CJUU coordinating team member Sabine von Mering was arrested in December 2025 as part of a group trying to deliver care packages to ICE detainees in Burlington, MA, but was able to resolve her legal case with 'pre-trial probation' until September 16, 2026 and a temporary stay-away order from the ICE facility. The trial involving our colleague from Boston University, Nathan Phillips, one of the "Granola Bar Defendants [wbur.org]", is scheduled for August 26 in Woburn District Court. To stay informed about the organizing initiatives to show support at court, please fill out this form, and help bring people out!
Sabine is also trying to encourage people to copy her latest artivist initiative: painting the climate warming stripes (reading.ac.uk) onto her garage door, see below!
Launch of Northwest England Branch on 9 September
Calling all our Northwest England members! A new regional branch of the CJUU will officially launch on the 9th September 2026. This hybrid event will provide a space for colleagues across the region to meet, network and discuss regional collaboration opportunities.
Event coordinators:
- Heather Alberro (University of Manchester)
- Jessica Hampton (University of Liverpool)
When: 9 September, 14:30 - 16:00 BST
Where: University of Manchester (hybrid), Humanities Bridgeford Street building, room 1.69/70.
Scan the QR code above or click here for more info and registration.
CJUU All-Ireland In-Person Assembly at Trinity College Dublin, December 2026
The next CJUU All-Ireland Assembly will be hosted at Trinity College Dublin in December 2026. This is an opportunity for Ireland-based members of the CJUU to connect in person and discuss how higher education institutions in Ireland can and should respond to our ecological and social crises. This in-person gathering will be held on either the 7th or 8th December. Full details to be confirmed soon!
Ireland Policy of Higher Education Working Group: Update on Research Ireland's new strategy & programme
The Ireland Higher Education Policy working group continues to work on advocating for public research aligned with climate justice. All CJUU members are asked to consider signing this Open Letter expressing concern about the priorities of public research in Ireland. The letter has catalysed moblisation, at this point, Research Ireland/Taighde Éireann appear to be moving ahead with dismantling the Government of Ireland scholarships and fellowships and replacing them with a programme where the funds would be given to individual higher education institutions to disperse based on their strategic plan and national priorities. This is a major structural change that will have long-term implications for the future of research in Ireland (See full update here). In addition, a new Coalition for the Future of Research in Ireland has been formed. https://coalitionforthefutureofresearchinireland.ie/
Study Visa Refusals for Gazan Students in Ireland
There is growing concern in Ireland about public funding of defense research and the Irish Government’s denial of study visas to students coming to Ireland from Gaza. Activists, trade unionists, students, higher education professionals and concerned members of the public are holding a protest outside Ireland's Department of Justice on 31st July.
We ask our members to consider signing this open letter and this petition to express our grave concern about the refusal of visa applications of students from Gaza who have received fully-funded places to study in Irish institutions in the 2026-27 academic year.
CJUU Ireland supports the call for Irish Government to recuse itself from digital policy debates
A group of 50 academics has shared an open letter calling for the Irish Government to “recuse itself from key EU negotiations” (Zuboff et al, 2026) on digital rule books, and corporate tax rules. This disqualification is made on the basis of “Ireland's questionable record regarding the protection of EU digital rights” (ibid.). As Ireland began its turn of the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union on July 1st of 2026, the failings of the Irish Government to enforce EU GDPR law have been foregrounded.
The letter says there is “good reason to believe that Ireland continues to facilitate tax arbitrage by multinational corporations,” and that “Ireland’s reliance upon giant non-EU firms creates insurmountable conflicts of interest, as evidenced by the country’s track record in the area of data regulation and taxation”. The Climate Justice Universities Union supports the call for Ireland to recuse itself from digital policy debates, and applauds the work of noyb, Enforce, and the group of academics calling this government to task. Read more about this our website.
Sign the petition to Stop Universities from joining the UK War Machine
On 13 July 2026, the UK Ministry of Defence announced the 35 universities that will be the founding members of the new Universities Defence Alliance - a group of institutions set to receive government funding to “strengthen defence research, build critical skills and support the UK's future defence capability.”
According to the Ministry of Defence, these universities will:
- bring together academia and the armed forces
- promote careers in defence
- support research into new defence technologies.
The alliance will be part of a £182 million investment to “build defence-related skills and expand opportunities across Britain.”
The Climate Justice Universities Union supports the People & Planet's call on the 35 universities to cancel their membership and ask members to sign their petition.
CJUU Book Discussion of "How Beautiful We Were" on 1st September
A reminder that the CJUU Book Club will have a discussion of Imbolo Mbue's novel How Beautiful We Were on Tuesday September 1st, 19:00-20:30 Irish Time, 2-3:30 EST. Register Here!
External Events
International Symposium on Climate Justice and Environmental Equity - Barcelona, Spain, 28th September
"The International Symposium on Climate Justice and Environmental Equity ISCJEE which will be held during 28th Sep 2026 at Barcelona, Spain is a global forum dedicated to addressing the social, ethical, and policy dimensions of climate change and environmental sustainability. This symposium brings together researchers, activists, policymakers, and community leaders to explore solutions that ensure fair and just responses to environmental challenges."
Early bird registration is on the 29th August and the abstract submission deadline is the 6th September. More details available here.
Invitation to "Climate, Migration, Refugees and the SDGs: Leaving No One Behind” in University College Cork, 14 September
This SDSN Ireland event is being organised in partnership with the UNIC European University Alliance and UCC Futures: Collective Social Futures. We invite you to register for this event via this link.
This event will examine the interconnections between climate change, human mobility, sustainable development, and human rights through the framework of the UN 2030 Agenda and its SDGs. The programme will feature opening remarks by Minister of State Neale Richmond and a keynote by former Irish Ambassador David Donoghue, who chaired key UN negotiations in these fields.
A panel discussion, moderated by Prof. Ursula Kilkenny, will then bring together leading practitioners and scholars working across migration, humanitarian response, climate action, and social inclusion. The event will also provide an opportunity to consider related challenges and opportunities for the Post-2030 Agenda.