A new SUNY council will work on accelerating SUNY's leadership on sustainability and climate action.
The SUNY Sustainability Advisory Councilwill focus on how to reduce SUNY’s environmental footprint while promoting green development plans and research. The council will be made up of campus presidents, sustainability leaders and students and will be co-chaired by SUNY ESF President Joanie Mahoney and SUNY Oneonta President Alberto Cardelle. Mahoney said the advisory council is a great way for SUNY ESF to share the practices they have been developing from the beginning.
“Now having an opportunity to share what we know with a broader group is exciting,” Mahoney said.
In addition to helping to develop SUNY-wide sustainability goals, the advisory council will create educational and career pathways for workers in clean-energy fields across the state. Beyond this, Mahoney said the council will help in creating more sustainable individuals and communities.
“We’re going to be able to tell people the things they can do in their own lives that can make the impact that we collectively need to make to stem some of the effects of climate change,” Mahoney said.
Mahoney said she is excited to see how SUNY ESF students will also play a role in furthering SUNY’s climate goals.
“Our students come to learn how to make things better,” Mahoney said. “This will be like a living laboratory for our students to put some of the research that’s happened at ESF into practice.”
The council will meet for the first time to further develop goals in the next few weeks.
