23
Apr
2019
Eight local churches and the URC Synod of Yorkshire join the Easter Declaration
Operation Noah is delighted to announce that eight local churches and the United Reformed Church Synod of Yorkshire have made divestment commitments as part of the Easter Declaration for Fossil Free Churches.
The Easter Declaration states ‘the urgency of the need to shift from fossil fuels to clean alternatives and ensure a brighter, cleaner future for all’ and the desire of the churches involved for their investments ‘to be a sign of hope, contributing to the flourishing of God’s creation, both now and for generations to come’.
The churches making divestment commitments as part of the Easter Declaration are as follows:
- The United Reformed Church Synod of Yorkshire
- Bush Hill Park URC, Enfield (United Reformed Church)
- Tavistock URC (United Reformed Church)
- The Vines Church, Rochester (United Reformed Church)
- All Hallows Church, Hyde Park, Leeds (Church of England)
- St Hilda’s Church, Ashford, Middlesex (Church of England)
- St John the Evangelist, Upper St Leonards (Church of England)
- St Peter’s Church, Maney, Sutton Coldfield (Church of England)
- St Stephen with St Julian, St Albans (Church of England)
The URC Synod of Yorkshire has become the second of 13 United Reformed Church Synods to commit to divest from fossil fuels, after the URC Synod of Scotland made a divestment commitment in 2015. It decided to make the move as the United Reformed Church prepares to debate divestment from fossil fuels at a national level in May.
These churches join a global divestment movement of more than 1,000 institutions with more than $8.7 trillion (£6.7 trillion) of assets under management, including the World Council of Churches, the Church of Sweden, the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, Quakers in Britain, and the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
While most UK Churches have divested from coal and tar sands, many continue to invest millions of pounds in oil and gas companies. The Church of England currently invests more than £120 million in major oil companies including BP, Shell and ExxonMobil. It is coming under increasing pressure to divest from Exxon after the company blocked a resolution from the Church Commissioners from being considered at its 2019 AGM.
Last month, the Guardian reported that the five largest publicly listed oil and gas companies – BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron and Total – are spending nearly $200 million (£153 million) a year lobbying to delay, control or block policies to tackle climate change.
Revd Kevin Watson, Moderator of the United Reformed Church Synod of Yorkshire, said: ‘We have decided to divest from fossil fuels in response to the growing climate crisis. We are very concerned that fossil fuel companies are exploring for new reserves when we need to do all we can to accelerate the transition to a clean energy future. The time to act is now.’
Revd Mark Meatcher, minister of Bush Hill Park URC, said: ‘As Christians we believe that God has given us responsibility to care for our world and to ensure that it is still there for those who will come after us. Many children have been speaking out recently about the enormous issues facing our communities, and the Church should be at the forefront of responding to these challenges.’
James Buchanan, who works for Christian climate charity Operation Noah on the Bright Now divestment campaign, said: ‘We would like to thank all of the churches involved for taking this prophetic step, and we hope many other churches across the UK will join them. It is time for investors concerned about climate change to get out of the problem and into the solution by divesting from fossil fuels and increasing investments in renewable energy and clean technologies.’
Keen to get your local church to divest from fossil fuels? The next joint announcement, which Churches of all denominations are invited to join, will be a global divestment announcement for faith institutions in September 2019. Watch this space for further details!
Text of the Easter Declaration for Fossil Free Churches
As we celebrate the joy of the risen Christ this Easter, we the undersigned wish for our investments to be a sign of hope, contributing to the flourishing of God’s creation, both now and for generations to come.
We support the campaign for fossil free Churches and, conscious of the impact of climate change on our sisters and brothers around the world – especially those living in poverty – we recognise the urgency of the need to shift from fossil fuels to clean alternatives and ensure a brighter, cleaner future for all.
Our church/Christian organisation therefore commits to divest any existing fossil fuel investments within the next five years (for churches with existing fossil fuel investments) and pledges not to invest in fossil fuels in the future.
