On Sunday December 18, a considerate, appropriate and respectful demonstration was staged in Lichfield Cathedral by Christian Climate Action. Have a look at Mary Smail’s protest at Litchfield Cathedral https://fb.watch/i6IKa3edoS/
The action sought to draw attention to the failure of numerous Church of England finance bodies to end investments in fossil fuels, within a wider failure to speak loudly and prophetically about the fifth mark of mission and the existential climate and biodiversity crises.
Those involved in staging this intervention at the end of Communion did so out of frustration and with utmost reluctance. Several campaigners sought for years, decades even, to persuade their church to use all the resources at its disposal to change the ways of an institution that they still value.
We are pleased to says that the campaigners received a reply on behalf of Bishop Michael. Here is an extract:
“As a diocese, we take the climate emergency seriously, recognise that we must do better and are working to a Diocesan Environmental Action Plan which includes a commitment to be net zero by 2030. All of our investments are made following the advice of the National Church Ethical Investment Advisory Group who advocate having more influence on the climate crisis by ‘being in the room’ with high-carbon industries. With them, we have committed to divesting from fossil fuel companies not aligned with the Paris Agreement goals by 2023”
A similar event had been held a previous Sunday in Derby Cathedral.
All this has been inspired by the Bright Now campaign, which calls on Churches across the UK to divest from fossil fuels, as a powerful, practical way to speed up the transition to a brighter, cleaner future.
The Bright Now campaign is part of Operation Noah, a Christian charity working with the Church to inspire action on climate change.
Check out the interactive map here to see which churches have already divested! You can zoom in and click on the crosses for information on how and when each church divested.
A list of UK Church divestment commitments by denomination can also be found. Download the step-by-step guide here, on how to divest your church, including examples of churches which have already done so.
Download the Fossil Free Churches report for more information about divestment and how the Church can respond to the climate crisis.
Download the Church investments in major oil companies: Paris compliant or Paris defiant? (2020) report here, for more information about the gap between the business plans of major oil companies and the Paris Agreement targets.
Please see what is happening in your diocese, see if it is on the Operation Noah red list and consider organising a “protest”!
