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Campaigners urge CoE to divest from fossil fuel companies


Group drops huge banner from balcony

Group drops huge banner from balcony

A group of young campaigners have protested against Church investments in fossil fuels at Church House, London during the General Synod yesterday.

The group, from Christian Climate Action (CCA,) were highlighting how Church Commissioners' funds are invested in energy companies such as Shell and BP.

The group dropped a protest banner from the public gallery and held a prayer rally outside Church House demanding the Church to pull its investments from fossil fuel companies.

The protest, days before Global Divestment Day, comes after the it was revealed that Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG), the world’s richest sovereign wealth fund worth £556bn, removed 32 coal mining companies from its portfolio in 2014, citing the risk they face from regulatory action on climate change.

Holly Peterson, from CCA said: "Fossil fuel companies cannot continue with ‘business as usual’ if the world is to avoid catastrophic climate change. If the Church believes in ethical investment and cares about the impacts of climate change on people and planet then why do they still invest in fossil fuels? They are not practising what they preach.

"We are calling on the Church of England to show courageous leadership and take action now by moving their investments. This is the only way to send a clear message that the continued extraction of fossil fuels is no longer morally acceptable.”

Two thirds of fossil fuel reserves need to stay in the ground to prevent the catastrophic effects of climate change, yet companies such as Shell and BP planning to extract all of their reserves and explore new ones.

A crowd of 50 Christians gathered for the prayer rally carrying candles in green glass jars and banners calling on the Church to divest. Earlier in the day, members of Operation Noah, SPEAK and CCA delivered a Valentine’s Day card to the Church of England and Methodist Church containing messages from Christians asking the Churches to show their love for Creation by breaking up with the fossil fuel industry.

Hundreds of events are now planned worldwide for Global Divestment Day in 48 countries spanning six continents. In the UK rallies and protests are planned in major cities including London, Bristol, Oxford, Nottingham, Swansea and Edinburgh.

Last week Operation Noah published a paper with contributions from a number of Christian theologians and scientists including Revd Prof. Michael Northcott, Professor of Ethics in the School of Divinity from University of Edinburgh and Bill McKibben, Founder and Senior Advisor of 350.org, reflecting that it is unethical to invest in fossil fuels.

Rev Rupert Martin of Sandal Magna parish, said: "We need to be leaders in our response to the threat of climate change and the impacts it will have on the poorest and most vulnerable across the world. The Church must stop investing in fossil fuel companies immediately as part of its ethical investments policy.”

The banner was dropped after the Synod held a debate on the issue of ‘inter-generational equity.’ It read: 'We are young Christians. For us and our children, climate change is the biggest threat we face. Please pray and act for all those afflicted by climate change now and in the future. As a church community, we cannot continue to invest in fossil fuel companies. So we ask you, on our behalf, to divest now.’

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