Tuesday 18 November 2014

Church of England faces pressure to ditch fossil fuels

Oxford has become the first Church of England diocese to join a growing movement of investors and commit to divesting from fossil fuel assets.

The Oxford Diocesan Synod has also passed a motion calling on the Church of England diocese to follow them and commit to divest from coal, oil and gas companies.

By a majority of 52 votes to 37, the Diocese of Oxford passed a resolution to make all its investments fossil free and explore opportunities for reinvestment in clean energy alternatives.

Revd Darrell Hannah, Rector from All Saints Church in Ascot Heath and a trustee of Operation Noah, a Christian charity that calls for the church to take a leading role in tackling climate change risks said he was “overjoyed” by the decision.

He added: “We had a good debate with good points on both sides. People recognise the ambiguities of the issue, the importance of the issue, the urgency of the moment and I’m very pleased the vote went the way it did.

“Oxford Diocese, true to its history, is challenging the Church of England as a whole to take seriously the threat of climate change and what we as Christians do about it."