Statements from the Fossil Fuel Divestment Forum

On February 29th, 2016, Senator Krueger hosted a forum, along with Assembly Assistant Speaker Felix W. Ortiz, on divesting the New York State Common Retirement Fund from fossil fuel holdings. The forum focussed on the Fossil Fuel Divestment Act (S.5873/A.8011-A) would require the State Comptroller to divest the New York State Common Retirement Fund from all holdings in the 200 largest publicly traded fossil fuel companies, as defined by carbon content in the companies’ proven oil, gas, and coal reserves (the CU 200). Divestment from coal companies would be completed within one year; divestment from all other fossil fuel companies would be completed by January 1, 2020. For more information, read the press release here.

Full video of the forum is available to view by clicking here.

Speakers at the forum are listed below. Copies of their written statements can be viewed by clicking on the speaker's name:

-Bill McKibben, Senior Advisor and Co-Founder, 350.org
-Carole Liable, CEO, Domini Social Investments
-Toby Heaps, CEO, Corporate Knights
-Tom Francis, Director, Oil and Gas Research, Fossil Free Indexes
-Karen Moreau, Executive Director, API NY
-Anthony Gronowicz, Executive Committee, CUNY Professional Staff Congress
-Carol Ann Lemon, RN-BS, New York State Nurses Association
-Lisa DiCaprio, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter
-Mark Dunlea, 350NYC
-Ana Orozco, Climate Justice Policy and Programs Coordinator, UPROSE

In addition, click here to read a letter sent by the Office of the State Comptroller in December, 2015, in response to inquiries from Sen. Krueger regarding divestment.