The United Church of Christ, which has over a million members, has reportedly made the decision to divest funds from fossil fuel companies. It is the first major religious institution in the United States to do so.
During the church’s national meeting in Long Beach, California this week, a resolution was made to divest funds from fossil fuel corporations. The church also passed a resolution for its church buildings to become carbon-neutral, which will start with energy audits on its buildings. The United Church of Christ has around 5,200 congregations nationwide.
Environmental campaigner Bill McKibben, who has been encouraging various institutions, both religious and educational, to divest from fossil fuels expressed his approval on Twitter, saying “This is incredibly important news.” McKibben has pointed out that fossil fuel companies already have enough known, unburned reserves to cause devastating impacts in terms of climate change, so institutions and individuals should now withdraw financial support for these companies.
Image CC licensed by Shubert Ciencia: United Church of Christ, Portland, Oregon.
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