A group of University of New England students who are dedicated to the environment is urging school leaders to end any direct investments in coal companies.

Earlier this month, the National Climate Assessment was released, and it paints a grim picture of climate change: rising sea levels, more droughts and floods as well as more frequent natural disasters, and increasing environmental health issues, according to UNE student and member of Fossil Free UNE, Kate Hruby.

The report concludes that “the evidence of human-induced climate change continues to strengthen and that impacts are increasing across the country,” presenting a major challenge for society, Hruby told the Journal Tribune. That is why she and others want to college to keep its word on being climate-friendly.

In 2008, UNE President Danielle Ripich signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, which says the college will commit to sustainability and achieving carbon neutrality by 2040. In addition to signing the agreement, Fossil Free UNE members say colleges and universities like UNE need to lead the charge.

“Divestment from fossil fuels is really the moral issue of our times,” Hruby said. “We hope to continue our work until our school listens,” she added.

Another student pushing for the school to make the change illustrated the point succinctly: “UNE is an institution dedicated solely to educating us and trying to make our futures brighter; why, then, would they invest in companies that are striving to achieve the exact opposite?” That was the word from Katie Santarpio, Class of 2016, on why the university needs to make this change. She also said the campaign of Fossil Free UNE, formed in April of last year, is about more than just divestment: “It’s about becoming aware of our environmental and political surroundings.”

Santarpio, Hruby and the other members of Fossil Free UNE ”“ and the 150 students who signed their petition in support of divestment ”“ are really telling UNE if you’re going to talk the talk, you better walk the walk. And while the school is not required to makes its investments public, we hope it will make a pledge to its students to divest from companies that produce fossil fuels, and then keep true to that promise.

It wouldn’t be the first ”“ not even in Maine. Unity College and the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor have made the commitment. Those schools are among the 12 colleges that have publicly committed to divesting. By joining these schools, UNE would still be part of a trail-blazing effort to commit to improving the lives of the future youth of this country ”“ and the world ”“ by doing its part to be a truly carbon-neutral entity.

It’s encouraging to see students standing up and speaking out about issues that are important to them, particularly those on a global scale. It’s these young people and their children who will have to live with the consequences of decisions made today ”“ like whether or not to invest in fossil fuels.

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Today’s editorial was written by City Editor Robyn Burnham Rousseau on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.