(K'JIPUKTUK) HALIFAX – After more than a year of campaigning, a group of students will hear an update on whether Dalhousie University is going fossil free.
Divest Dal, mainly comprised of students, along with some community members and faculty, are asking the school's Board of Governors to pull $20.3 million of the university's endowment funds, which are currently invested in a number of the world's leading oil and gas companies.
According to an April report, the school boasts finanical holdings in 35 of world's top 200 oil and natural gas corporations.
Many supporters of the divestment campaign believe this is hypocritical of the school, considering its image as a leader in sustainability and the growing concerns over climate change.
In June, the Board of Governors announced that it would begin investigating the possibility of withdrawing its investments from the fossil fuel industry, and would present an update of its findings at a meeting Tuesday.
A final report is set to be released in November.
If the board of governors decides to divest, Dalhousie would become the first Canadian university to cut ties with the oil and gas industry.
A rally in support of divestment is scheduled to take place at 2 p.m., before the meeting.
For more updates and information, follow @DivestDal
Follow Stephanie Taylor @__stephaniejane
