ESF, Rockefeller Institute to host sustainability conference

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) in Syracuse and the Albany–based Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government are set to host an upcoming event discussing successful sustainability initiatives at the local level. 

This free conference, titled “Locally Sourced: Municipal Green Policy Solutions” is scheduled for Sept. 9 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at ESF’s Gateway Center in Syracuse.

Attendees will hear from SUNY sustainability experts, municipal leaders, and other key stakeholders with the information they need to empower more sustainable and environmentally friendly decision-making, ESF said in its Aug. 25 announcement.

“This conference is an incredible opportunity for local officials, researchers, and community advocates to learn how to implement change for a more sustainable planet,” Joanie Mahoney, president of ESF, said. “We’re proud to partner with the Rockefeller Institute to provide guests with the opportunity to learn from and network with policymakers and experts — and at no cost to attend.”

The conference seeks to highlight successful projects and practices that have addressed sustainability at the local level, identify research questions and challenges faced by local leaders when developing projects, identify policy priorities and practices for state and local leaders, network with experts and other municipal leaders, and facilitate long-term connections between the research, policy, and practice communities, ESF said. 

The event’s guest speakers will represent ESF; New York State Energy Research and Development Authority; New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; Onondaga County; and the municipalities of Hastings, White Plains, and Cohoes.

“While federal and state governments are central to promoting sustainability and addressing climate change, critical work is also being done at the local level,” Bob Megna, president of the Rockefeller Institute, said. “We are excited to connect the Institute with SUNY ESF, a leader in sustainability, to showcase how municipalities and other local government entities can take significant action to advance green policy solutions.”

As ESF explained it, municipal leaders and planners regularly make decisions about how to manage their communities’ resources and infrastructure. Many local leaders across New York have “made a commitment” to consider environmental sustainability when making these decisions. 

This includes amending code requirements, requiring the use of sustainable materials and design, implementing innovative and renewable technologies, rethinking planning processes, combining green and grey infrastructure systems, and seeking out new partnerships with local companies and nonprofits, ESF said.

Federal funding under the American Rescue Plan Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has “created further opportunities” for localities to “(re)imagine” their streets, pipes, parks, and waterways. The conference will focus on best practices, lessons learned, and successful projects that illustrate how local leaders can integrate sustainability into their municipal decision-making, per the ESF announcement. 

The Rockefeller Institute of Government is the public-policy research arm of SUNY. Founded in 1981, the Rockefeller Institute conducts “cutting-edge research and analysis to inform lasting solutions to the problems facing New York State and the nation,” per its website.

ESF says it is “dedicated to the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable and resilient future through design, policy, and management of the environment and natural resources.”