November 2022

Dear Friends,

As the dust settles on COP27, the UN Climate Change Conference held earlier this month in Egypt, it’s clear that the COP process can still lead to important breakthroughs – as evidenced by the agreement on a loss and damage fund for poorer countries – while it also demonstrated how difficult it is to secure the changes needed to limit global heating to 1.5°C.

Due to the vested interests of petro-states and fossil fuel companies, which had a big presence in Sharm el-Sheikh, aspects of the final COP27 agreement sadly reflected lobbyists’ priorities, with no consensus on the phasing down of all fossil fuels, the driving cause of global heating.

Yet where the COP process has failed, Churches can lead – something we demonstrate in our new report, ‘Church Investment in Climate Solutions: Financing a Liveable Future’. The UN estimates religious institutions manage a combined $3 trillion of investments globally. Faith institutions can harness this financial power by taking their money out of fossil fuels and investing in renewable energy, public transport, energy storage and other climate solutions. In fact, if the world were to redirect the $570 billion of annual planned oil and gas investments towards renewables, this could finance wind and solar expansion in line with the 1.5°C goal.

We invite you to join our campaign, calling on Churches to fund climate solutions.

The Operation Noah Team

Report: Churches can accelerate a fair, fast transition by investing in climate solutions

Churches can shift markets and change public attitudes during this crucial decade when the world must effectively cut global greenhouse gas emissions in half. Our new Bright Now report – ‘Church Investment in Climate Solutions: Financing a Liveable Future’ – identifies examples of faith institutions leading the way on investment in climate solutions, explores their reasons for doing so, and demonstrates how other Churches and faith groups can do the same. Read more.

Over a third of Church of England dioceses have divested from fossil fuels

The Dioceses of Manchester, St Albans and Gloucester have recently made fossil fuel divestment commitments, bringing the total number of Church of England dioceses that have made such commitments to 15 – more than a third of all CofE dioceses. Read more.

Church investment in climate solutions online report launch

On 22 November, nearly 100 people joined us for a webinar launching our new report, ‘Church Investment in Climate Solutions: Financing a Liveable Future’. Featured speakers included Julia Corcoran and James Buchanan (Operation Noah), Lorna Gold (Laudato Si’ Movement, FaithInvest), John O’Shaughnessy (Franciscan Sisters of Mary, Catholic Impact Investing Collaborative), Mike Sturgess (Diocese of Truro) and Stephen Trew (Church of Ireland). The event was chaired by Bokani Tshidzu (Operation Noah). Read a recap of the webinar here.

On the Operation Noah blog

Operation Noah seeks trustees with backgrounds in finance, HR or land use

Are you a Christian with a passion for addressing the climate and biodiversity crises – and do you believe the Church has a vital role to play? Operation Noah is looking for two new trustees, and we are particularly keen to hear from people who have a background in finance, human resources or land use. We are also looking to increase the diversity of our board, especially in terms of ethnicity, denominational affiliation and UK region/nation. Read more

Operation Noah has a new address

We’ve just moved offices and now share a building with our friends from the development charity CAFOD. From 1 December 2022, note that Operation Noah’s new mailing address is: Operation Noah, Romero House, 55 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7JB. Read more.

Resources, news, events and opportunities

Warm This Winter will hold a day of action against fuel poverty this Saturday, 3 December with gatherings around the UK. Warm This Winter is a coalition of environmental and anti-poverty groups, including Operation Noah, calling on the UK Government to do more to lower fuel bills, invest in clean energy and insulate homes. Find a gathering near you.

December’s UN biodiversity summit is the ‘best and last chance’ to halt and reverse the decline of nature, the head of Natural England has said. Next month, nearly 200 countries will meet in Canada to agree a landmark deal to safeguard nature, with several key ambitions, including turning 30% of the Earth’s lands and seas into protected areas by 2030. Read more.

A poll from Compassion in Politics has found that 72% of Conservative voters support building more wind farms. Overall, when asked which source of energy they would prefer to see boosted in the UK, three-quarters said they would support onshore wind. Read more.

Operation Noah’s Sharon Hall recently spoke to BBC Radio Norfolk about last month’s Bright Now Church land-use report and the ways in which Churches can better manage their land to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, store carbon and increase biodiversity. Listen here.

Last week’s Bright Now report on Church investment in climate solutions has been covered by Business Green, The Tablet, Premier Christian News and the Church Times. The Church Times story mentioned our report in the context of a recent COP27 prayer vigil in front of Church House, calling on the Church of England to divest from fossil fuels. Read more.

As the UN summit on nature and biodiversity approaches, two campaigns – one from a coalition of nature charities that includes the RSPB, one from the Zero Hour campaign – are calling on Rishi Sunak to show leadership. The campaign from nature charities notes the world has lost 70% of wildlife populations since 1970, while two of five species of wild plants are threatened; read their demands and sign the petition. The Zero Hour campaign is calling on the Prime Minister to set legally binding targets to reverse nature loss by 2030. Sign the petition.

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