Churches across the UK divest from fossil fuels

Hundreds of British churches across the UK are to divest from fossil fuels.

Fighting for a greener comeback from the coronavirus pandemic, UK-based Christian climate group Operation Noah and the Global Catholic Climate Movement, have called on governments and investors to ensure the economic recovery from the outbreak is "low carbon and just".

Methodist, Church of England, Baptist and Catholic churches will join 42 faith-based institutions in 14 countries in the biggest ever joint divestment by religious groups. 

Churches in the US, Spain, Italy and Ireland are some of those included in the international divestment effort.

In January, the Church of England pension fund moved £600m into a new equity index that invests in companies deemed to be making progress towards the Paris Climate Agreement on limiting global warming

Image credit: English Church Architecture

Together, these eco-friendly churches have announced plans to divest at least £1.1bn from fossil fuels

James Buchanan, campaign manager at Operation Noah said it is these faith institutions that are showing strong leadership in response to the climate crisis urging governments around the world to "follow their lead in ending support for fossil fuels and investing in the clean technologies of the future.”

British universities have also joined in on the power move that campaigns the planet's health. Of the UK's 154 public universities, 78 have joined the divestment campaign.

Image credit: DeSmog UK

In the past year a flurry of major academic institutions – from University College London to York University – have pledged to divest completely.

Several major universities, including Cambridge, are still subject to lively campaigns by students and staff over their links to the fossil fuel industry.