Amazing news! The Church of England announced yesterday that it will divest its holdings of £12m in thermal coal and tar sands. This is a good step in the right direction and a huge win for the divestment campaign. A special shout-out to our faith campaigners in the UK!
350.org co-founder Bill McKibben commented:
“This is the first great turnaround in the divestment fight, an institution which initially refused to move and then, in good Christian fashion, saw the light.
Much credit to the Church of England — they’re studying the signs of the times, as the Good Book says, and starting to show their concern for the poorest and most vulnerable parts of humanity and of creation!
Above all, I imagine, Desmond Tutu is pleased at this news, since the planet’s foremost Anglican was one of the foremost authors of this call to divest!“
A spokesperson said that the church feels a “moral responsibility to speak and act on both environmental stewardship and justice for the world’s poor who are most vulnerable to climate change”.
The new investment policy bans investments in any company makes more than 10% of its revenues from thermal coal and tar sands. The church still has huge investment in oil and gas companies.
The announcement explicitly leaves the door open for complete divestment from coal, oil and gas companies. The divestment movement will continue to push the church further, in line with climate science and justice.
At the Church of England general synod in July, divestment will be on the agenda. The diocese of Oxford and Birmingham will submit motions for divestment from all fossil fuel companies.
Support the push to fully divest the Church of England from fossil fuels by signing and sharing Bright Now’s Fossil Free petition.