Sultana weighs in on New York State fossil fuel divestment in City & State

December 10, 2020

City & State

Farhana Sultana

Geography & the Environment Department

Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict & Collaboration

Environment

New York State

State & Local

City & State

Farhana Sultana

New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced a plan on Wednesday to get New York’s $226 billion pension fund to review and divest from many fossil fuel companies and reduce carbon emissions in its portfolio. Over the course of four years, the New York State Common Retirement Fund will review and divest from any oil, gas and pipeline companies that don’t have plans to transition away from fossil fuels, assuming the divestment presents no long-term financial harm to the fund. Farhana Sultana, associate professor of geography and the environment, says the plan could push other states to consider divestment seriously. "This divestment of the pension fund is one of the components of the multi-pronged approach that is absolutely critically essential in moving toward more climate just futures," she says. Read more in the City & State article, "DiNapoli opens up fossil fuel divestment." 12/10/20