United Methodist Advocates Gear Up to Push for Federal Climate Action

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Disasters and Climate Change

United Methodist climate care advocates are gearing up to encourage the Biden Administration and a friendlier Congress to take immediate actions to address the global climate crisis. Their increasing activity employs a new strategy informed by past experiences and resting upon the denomination’s official policies to care for God’s creation.

UMC Creation Justice Movement held a 90-minute webinar on federal climate policy, “New Congress, New President, New Opportunity for Climate Advocacy,” on Feb. 25 to introduce its plans and partners in efforts to deal with the urgent worldwide climate crisis. The fast-paced event was crammed with so much information that links to slides and resource lists were distributed by email to participants after the event.

UM Creation Justice, as it’s known informally, works with official United Methodist agencies concerned with the climate crisis, including the General Board of Church and Society ‘s environmental justice program; the General Board of Global Ministries, which conducts the EarthKeepers training in creation care ministry; and United Methodist Women’s sustainability program. The United Methodist Church has adopted numerous church guidelines on Christians’ response to the global climate crisis, covering topics such as clean energy, nuclear power, sustainable agriculture and toxic waste dumped in low-income and racial-ethnic communities.

Three faith perspectives framed the webinar:

  • God called creation good and gave humanity the work of faithful stewardship of it – to be caretakers and gardeners of the Earth.
  • As the work of God’s hands, all of creation is good and worthy of protection.
  • Christ, through his words and example, called his followers to care especially for the most hurting in society.

Based on these faith imperatives, UM Creation Justice has two goals for its new campaign, according to its website:

  • Deep and fast reduction of climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions; and
  • Climate Justice — public policy action to address past, current, and future harm to vulnerable populations as well public policy that helps fossil fuel industry-dependent communities make the transition to a clean energy economy.

The webinar featured four panelists:

Gobar presented an overview of federal legislation titled “Achieving Climate Justice in the 2020s.” He said the “critical framework” to understand how church activists can align with the Democratic Party’s federal climate efforts focuses on setting standards for environmental sustainability; investment in projects to implement sustainability; and justice that stops the harm done to low-income and racial-ethnic communities victimized by polluters.

Gobar said that climate activists are encouraged by President Joe Biden’s Climate Plan, citing “three numbers” among its goals:

  • 100% clean electricity by 2035 (standards);
  • $2 trillion in federal investments for programs (investment); and
  • 40% of federal allocations directed towards disadvantaged communities (justice).

Gobar cited that several major climate advocacy proposals whose goals overlap the president’s climate plan as well as United Methodist climate policies, including the Evergreen Action Plan; the THRIVE Agenda, a multi-faceted approach to renewing the U.S. economy that addresses the climate crisis; and USCAN’s Vision for Equitable Climate Action.

Hartley reviewed President Biden’s recent executive actions, which include executive orders that have the force of law as implied by Section II of the U.S. Constitution that describes the president’s powers. He said that so far, the president’s executive actions overlap “significantly” with the United Methodist Social Principles, the church’s set of guidelines for Christian living.

Referring to the recent winter weather crisis that struck Texas, where residents suffered and died from the cold because power and water were unavailable for days in many parts of the state, Hartley said, “Climate actions will hit us more and more. My prayer is that these extreme events will waken us to the need to care for creation.”

Hill touched on climate legislation expected to come before the 117th Congress, where Democrats now control both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

“We must impress on our representatives that climate action is a moral imperative for this Congress,” Hill said. “We need longer-term, durable solutions to the climate crisis.”

Hill, who serves on the boards of Creation Justice Ministries and the National Farm Worker Ministry, said activists are taking a “sectoral approach” to legislative efforts, focusing on energy, transportation and agriculture. Church and Society also offers a training resource on civic engagement, “Creating Change Together,” that helps congregations understand the need for Christian participation in public policy development to improve communities’ quality of life.

In closing, webinar host Paul Slentz encouraged participants to contact their congressional representatives and senators to urge them to adopt legislation on the global climate crisis.

“We want to build a strong and growing movement of United Methodists who will advocate for public policies to care for God’s creation,” Slentz said.

The next UMC Creation Justice Movement webinar is planned for March 23 and will cover how to conduct an effective campaign for state advocacy on climate policy. Christina Krost, policy coordinator for Faith in Place, the Illinois Affiliate of Interfaith Power & Light, facilitated the Feb. 25 webinar.

Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011. This article is part of United Methodist Insight's participation in Covering Climate Now, a coalition of more than 450 publications worldwide devoted to enhance reporting on the global climate crisis.