Church Leaders and Churches Climate Network joins those galvanizing for Climate action and laments US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement

5th June 2017 F.
The Churches Climate Network in New Zealand profoundly laments the withdrawal of the US from the Paris Agreement for climate stabilization.
The US decision shows the forces of economic self interest clashing with tide of long term transitions to an economy aligned with the planet. ‘The Paris Agreement brought about global recognition of human interdependence with the biosphere and churches are taking action for the transition’ says Rev. Dr Betsan Martin, Convenor of the Churches Climate Network.

NEW YORK (RNS) Sister Patricia Daly is a Dominican nun who has been lobbying corporations to be socially responsible for so long that she has a rich trove of stories about battling recalcitrant execs and pushing faith-based resolutions at shareholder meetings.

The start of a push for Catholic divestment from coal, oil and gas extractive industries is now well under way. Another boost was given at World Youth Day via a letter signed by over 120 youth organisations delivered to Pope Francis. In it, they urged him to support fossil fuel divestment and asked him to ensure the Vatican’s own financial institution cuts its ties with extractive industries. A call from young people will no doubt be significant to Pope Francis.

Poor coal.

It seems like everyone is running for the door these days when it comes to investing in this dirty fossil fuel.

The country of Norway and the city of Seattle are moving to divest their funds from coal.

Religious organizations like the United Church of Christ, the Church of England, and universities like Oxford, Stanford and Georgetown have announced plans to either divest from coal or reduce their holdings.

Pope Francis blamed the rich and powerful for placing the planet in danger “unprecedented in the history of humanity” as he demanded urgent and concerted global action against climate change.

The Earth is rapidly being turned into “an immense pile of filth” by unbridled human greed, he warns in a blistering critique of the “sin” of environmental destruction.

In a landmark papal encyclical – addressed to “every person living on this planet” – he said there is now a “solid scientific consensus” that mankind is at least mostly responsible for global warming.

How can investors link profit to solidarity? The topic was addressed by Pope Francis as he spoke before a conference on ethical investing.