Holy Smoke!

FAITHS ANNOUNCE LARGEST EVER FOSSIL FUEL DIVESTMENT BEFORE COP 26

Today, 26th October 2021, just days before the United Nations 26th Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP 26) is due to begin, 72 faith institutions from around the word (including 37 from the UK) have announced the largest ever divestment from fossil fuels, with more than £3.1million ($4.2billion) of combined assets under management!

It follows the recent calls from Pope Francis, other faith leaders, global governments and activists to address the 'unprecedented ecological crisis' ahead of COP26 and immediately end all fossil fuel finance. Negotiations at COP26 are expected to centre on meeting the Paris Agreement goal of limiting average global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and push countries toward sizable actions to shift rapidly from fossil fuels to renewable energy during this decade.

Participating institutions include the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Scotland; the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church in the UK; the Presbyterian Church of Wales; the Presbyterian Church in Ireland; Catholic universities in the United States and the UK; the Sisters of Charity of Australia; Caritas Nepal; 15 Catholic dioceses in England, Scotland and Ireland; two Church of England dioceses; 19 churches in the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine; and the Buddhist religious movement Soka Gakkai International - UK.

James Buchanan, Bright Now Campaign Manager at Operation Noah said: "As the UK prepares to host COP26, we are delighted that 37 UK faith institutions have decided to divest from fossil fuel companies and join this record global divestment announcement. We call on the UK and global governments to end fossil fuel subsidies and bring an immediate halt to new oil and gas exploration, including the Cambo oil field."

You can hear from some of the institutions that divested and how they did it during a special COP26-themed faith webinar on Thursday 27th October 2021 at 5pm, COP26, Fossil Fuel Divestment and a Just Transition for All'.