SUNY-ESF announced Tuesday its intention to divest from fossil fuels, making it the first SUNY campus to set a divestment goal.

The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry aims to “fully divest from the top 200 companies that are directly involved in the extraction, processing and transportation of coal, oil and natural gas,” according to a SUNY-ESF release.

The college’s decision to divest comes just over eight months after Syracuse University announced it would divest from fossil fuels. The decision was prompted, in part, by a student resolution approved by the Undergraduate Student Association — the student government of SUNY-ESF — and action by the student group Divest ESF, according to the release.

The college will divest in partnership with the ESF College Foundation, Inc. and the SUNY-ESF Board of Trustees.

SUNY-ESF will continue to make efforts to bring an end to fossil fuel dependency, innovate renewable energy alternatives, improve energy efficiencies of built environments and “maximize living organic matter as a storehouse of carbon and renewable energy,” SUNY-ESF President Quentin Wheeler said in the release.

The college will continue its efforts to combat fossil fuel dependency and create innovative energies through research, scholarship, innovation and public education, Wheeler said.

“These actions are consistent with ESF’s values as an environmental college and our responsibility to lead by example,” Wheeler said.

Setting a goal for divestment is a new frontier for the State University of New York system, which is comprised of 64 campuses, according to the release.

“Divesting from the companies that are directly causing climate chaos sends a message to our students, alumni, and community that ESF is prepared to lead the global community into a just transition away from a fossil fuel-based economy,” said Katie Oran, an organizer with Divest ESF and the SUNY-ESF representative in SU’s Student Association.

An investment symposium will be held to “address the role of divestment and reinvestment as an agent of global change,” according to the release. SUNY-ESF invited students to partake in the symposium, which will be held with partners from other universities, financial institutions and NGOs, according to the release.

Published on December 1, 2015 at 5:36 pm

Contact Alexa: atorrens@syr.edu