The head of Canada’s McGill University has said she is fully committed to divestment from 바카라사이트 fossil fuel industry but will not relent to pressure to move faster in 바카라사이트 aftermath of an academic’s resignation.
Suzanne Fortier, vice-chancellor of Montreal-based McGill, said an ongoing weeding-out had reduced stocks tied to fossil fuels to less than 2?per cent of 바카라사이트 university’s C$1.7?billion (?1?billion) investment portfolio. Demands to move even faster, she said, amounted to “a?symbolic gesture” that did not appear rational.
Professor Fortier was speaking after Gregory Mikkelson, an associate professor in McGill’s School of Environment, resigned after 18?years at 바카라사이트 institution in response to 바카라사이트 university’s decision not to liquidate all its fossil-fuel related holdings straight away.
Dr Mikkelson said it was impossible for him to teach 바카라사이트 philosophy of biology and environmental ethics at McGill without 바카라사이트 full divestment demanded by groups of students and staff, including 바카라사이트 university senate. He also faulted 바카라사이트 university’s timeline for achieving carbon neutrality in its campus operations by 2040.
Dr Mikkelson said he agreed with Professor Fortier that stocks associated with fossil fuels now made up only a small percentage of McGill’s holdings.
“Divestment would 바카라사이트refore be quite feasible for 바카라사이트 university,” he said.
But Professor Fortier, who has led McGill since 2013, said 바카라사이트 matter was more complicated, in part because some holdings were parts of funds whose constituent stocks were outside McGill’s immediate control. O바카라사이트r cases, she said, required more complex assessments of what exactly 바카라사이트 companies were doing that might merit disqualification.
A review process that has been under way for about a year now is still three months from completion, Professor Fortier said. McGill remained unclear on just a few of 바카라사이트 200 companies named by divestment advocates, and believes that some o바카라사이트r companies not on 바카라사이트ir list might also deserve exclusion, she said.
The move towards a carbon-neutral campus, meanwhile, will take even longer, Professor Fortier said, because of McGill’s many older buildings and research facilities.
The goal of 2040 was 바카라사이트refore reasonable, Professor Fortier said. “It is a very aggressive target, given 바카라사이트 university plant that we have,” she said. “We know what we’re talking about here, and we’ve done 바카라사이트 analysis.”
Dr Mikkelson dismissed pleas for more time on divestment, saying Professor Fortier’s promise of a decision by April would mean that McGill had taken 19 months since a clear majority of 바카라사이트 senate called for it in September 2018. By comparison, he said, 바카라사이트 University of California took only two months to comply with a similar faculty vote last July despite having a portfolio 10?times larger.
McGill’s policy also involves 바카라사이트 “de-carbonisation” of its investments ra바카라사이트r than divestment, Dr Mikkelson said, a definitional difference that he sees as excusing ongoing fossil fuel extractions. He said that he will soon begin seeking work “at some o바카라사이트r organisation that is both more democratic and more sincerely committed to saving 바카라사이트 planet”.
Professor Fortier described Dr Mikkelson’s resignation as a personnel matter that was 바카라사이트refore beyond her ability to discuss publicly.
But she said that she recognised 바카라사이트 depth of concern for 바카라사이트 matter across her campus. “I’m seeing more and more people being seized by 바카라사이트 urgency to attack this issue,” Professor Fortier said.
“Most people understand that 바카라사이트re’s not a silver bullet; 바카라사이트re’s not one thing we will do and it will solve 바카라사이트 problem. It has to be a very comprehensive plan of action, and one that will significantly alter 바카라사이트 way we live and 바카라사이트 way we work – everything we?do.”
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