Image credit: Courtesy of Lynda Trono
Fossil fuel divestment advocates for ending the expansion of new coal, oil, and gas production, phasing out existing production of these fossil fuels, and accelerating the transition to alternative renewable energy. There is immense power in placing public pressure on the companies that actively support the extraction and production of fossil fuels, which can effectively advance this transition. This includes supporting tar sands, mountaintop removal, fracking, deepwater drilling, liquefied, natural gas, and coal mining. Millions of climate activists are provoking change by challenging actors such as financial institutions to divest from non-renewable energy sources and invest alternatively in transforming the energy sector to a renewable energy supply.
Religious institutions and communities of faith across the globe have been critical leaders in calling on governments and large corporations to divest fossil fuels. Faith-based gatherings such as GreenFaith‘s No Faith in Fossil Fuels: A Climate Finance Summit have brought together faith members across the globe to learn about how banks and asset managers continue to invest in fossil fuel industries and discuss how to hold these financial institutions accountable. Efforts like these equip and motivate faith leaders and communities of faith to take the bold steps necessary to effect real change.
The United Church of Canada's Commitment to Divestment
The United Church of Canada is committed to ensuring a deeper alignment of its investments with its values – and has made strides toward fossil fuel divestment. Strong votes at key shareholder proposals are helping advance better environmental, social, and sustainability governance and improvements to corporate practices. The church continues to sign on to various high-profile investor statements. For example, in 2021, The United Church of Canada joined 36 institutional investors, managing $5.5 trillion in assets, signing on to a new Canadian Investor Statement on Climate Change as a member of the Responsible Investment Association, pledging to manage assets in promoting the transition to a low carbon economy. The church also joined the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), a coalition of national and subnational governments, businesses, and organizations working to advance the transition from unabated coal power generation to clean energy.
Prairie to Pine Regional Council Takes Action in Winnipeg
Communities of faith and faith-based organizations are taking their own steps and advocating for others to end financial investment in fossil fuels. Spanning across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and northwestern Ontario, The United Church of Canada’s Prairie to Pine Regional Council is leading the way in advocating for climate justice. They have been raising their spirited voices and calling for serious divestment in the fossil fuel industry by protesting against companies that invest in harmful oil and gas extraction.
[Image credit: Courtesy of Lynda Trono
Since Ash Wednesday, several church leaders have gathered to pray weekly inside different branches of the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) in Winnipeg.
Lynda Trono, retired United Church minister and one of the lead organizers, explains in a Winnipeg Free Press article, Praying in public for environmental justice, “We pray out of fear for future generations in this time of climate change. We fear that the banks who fund fossil fuel expansion will treat our current climate crisis in a ‘business-as-usual’ fashion and continue to invest in fossil fuel infrastructure. We pray with a sense of urgency for things to turn around.”
New Regional Policy Calling for Climate Change Divestment
On June 3, 2023, Prairie to Pine Regional Council passed Faith Communities to Divest from Fossil Fuels, a proposal brought to the region by Rev. Lynda Trono, Rev. Jeri Bjornson, and Diane Dwarka. The proposal’s objective is to further the region’s efforts in advocating for divestment and keeping financial institutions accountable.
The proposal highlights The 44th General Council’s commitment to intensify its historic commitment to climate justice through stronger denominational advocacy and investor action — a commitment which is reinforced by The United Church’s strategic plan. Shedding light on the pressing reality of climate change, the proposal states that “the current climate catastrophe calls us to build on the work that we have already undertaken and more intentionally engage all levels of our church”.
Through the agreement, Prairie to Pine Regional Council will:
Instruct the Regional Council Executive to review the Regional Council’s investment policies, investments, and the practices of its financial institutions, using the United Church in Canada’s “Responsible Investing Guiding Principles”, with a particular focus on climate justice and encouraging the transition from a carbon economy toward becoming leaders in a green economy.
Create an educational process to assist communities of faith and other ministries, their membership, and supporters to:
Communicate with their financial institutions with regard to any policies and practices that fall short of a transition to a green economy, particularly continuing investments in fossil fuel expansion projects.
Consider other actions such as switching to a more climate-conscious institution, divesting from less ethical investments, and transferring investments to ethical funds.
Support and promote a network within the Regional Council to assist its membership in living out the above commitments, and to study Committed to Climate Action: The 2021-2022 Sustainability Report | The United Church of Canada (united-church.ca) and study and act on recommendations found in the 44th General Council proposal GS08 Climate Justice Commitment.
Excitement and urgency surround the fossil fuel divestment advocacy commitment taken on by Prairie to Pine Regional Council. Encouraging others on a local and regional level to participate in similar climate work can strengthen the collective pressure to advocate to put an end to fossil fuels investment.
To read the entire policy, click here
Get Involved
To learn more and get involved in Praying in Public for Environmental Justice at Royal Bank of Canada branches, in Winnipeg, email lyndatrono@gmail.com.
Faithful Footprints Program
The United Church of Canada’s Faithful Footprints program offers inspiration, tools, and grants to help its faith communities reduce their carbon footprint. With the Church’s commitment to reducing its greenhouse gasses (GHG) emissions by 80% by 2030, this one-of-a-kind program offers up to $30,000 in grants towards energy conservation and renewable energy projects (conditions apply).
Faith & the Common Good is the delivery partner for the Faithful Footprints program. To date, we have engaged over 400 congregations, camps, and buildings across the country. Your participation in the program puts your faith into action and helps the Church reach its target.
Aleyxa Gates Julien is the PR/Communications Coordinator for Faithful Footprints and can be reached at agatesjulien@faithcommongood.org.