Archive: January 2021 - Operation Noah

Operation Noah is excited to see the launch of a new Climate Emergency Toolkit for churches and Christian organistations from Tearfund.

As the climate crisis accelerates, millions of lives are at risk. We’re aware of this, but sometimes it can be hard to know what to do next to tackle the climate crisis. The new Climate Emergency Toolkit from Tearfund encourages churches to declare a climate emergency and maximise their impact by influencing others around them to take the climate emergency seriously.

The toolkit provides a roadmap for action and brings together lots of brilliant resources from a range of organisations, including Operation Noah, organising them into a clear, manageable journey that any church can take.  What better way to kickstart your creation care in 2021?

Catherine DeSouza, Pastor at Cardiff City Church, speaking about the toolkit said: ‘Climate change wasn’t high up on my agenda…What kicked me into action was recognising that I have a role, we have a role,the church has a role to play in this and we can do something about it.’

Dr Tim Gordon, Marine biologist and Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Exeter said: ‘Climate change directly threatens the lives of millions of people. If your church is serious about loving people, it has to be serious about climate change.’ 

In November 2021, world leaders will gather in Glasgow for COP26, critical talks on how to address the climate emergency. Each church that declares or recognises the emergency shines a spotlight on the crisis, underlining its seriousness and the need for world leaders to agree to significant progress during the talks. Together, we can be a prophetic voice for change.

Download the toolkit

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: BILL MCKIBBEN

Explore how the Methodist Church can support a just recovery ahead of COP26, by divesting from fossil fuels and investing in clean energy

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There has been growing support in the Methodist Church for divestment from fossil fuels. In June 2020, 260 Methodists (including 114 ministers) signed a letter calling for the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church to fully divest. The Methodist Council passed a resolution on divestment in October 2020. Several Methodist churches have already announced their decision to divest from fossil fuels.

Join this interactive webinar to hear why divestment is such an important response to the climate crisis with Bill McKibben, who started the global fossil fuel divestment movement, and Mark Campanale, whose groundbreaking research with Carbon Tracker has highlighted the risks of continued investment in fossil fuels. The webinar will be an opportunity to hear from Methodist leaders who are campaigning for divestment and find out how you can get involved.

We are delighted to welcome the following speakers:

• Keynote speaker: Bill McKibben, author, environmentalist, Methodist and co-founder of 350.org: The moral imperative to divest from fossil fuels, the global divestment movement and why 2021 is a crucial year for tackling the climate crisis
• Mark Campanale, founder of the Carbon Tracker Initiative: The financial risk of fossil fuel investments
• James Buchanan, Bright Now Campaign Manager at Operation Noah: Key findings of Bright Now report: Church investments in major oil companies: Paris compliant or Paris defiant?
• Martha Rand, Vice Chair of the Methodist Zero Carbon Group: Responding to the climate emergency for the new generation of Methodists
• Sheridan Pengelly, Vice Chair of the Methodist Zero Carbon Group: The experience of a local church divesting from fossil fuels
• Revd John Howard, former Chair of JACEI (the Methodist Church’s ethical investment advisory group) will join the speaker panel for Q&A.

The webinar will be chaired by Michael Pryke, Chair of the Methodist Zero Carbon Group and former Methodist Youth President.

The webinar will also offer an opportunity to find out more about how your church, Circuit or District can join the next global divestment announcement for faith institutions in spring 2021. The Methodist Zero Carbon Group will share a new resource on divestment as well as introducing other areas they will be working on ahead of the upcoming UN climate talks, COP26, in Glasgow in November 2021.

The webinar is sponsored by Operation Noah, Christian Aid and the Methodist Zero Carbon Group.

Sign up for your free place