United Methodists Step Up Climate Crisis Response

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As Earth Day 2021 arrives, United Methodists have begun to collaborate on efforts to educate the 12-million-member worldwide denomination on the relationship between Christian faith and the global climate crisis. Through a new collaboration and some ongoing programs, church leaders hope to foster both sustainable public policies and local practices that will cope with and begin to reverse the climate emergency.

In mid-March, five denominational agencies already engaged in environmental stewardship announced their new collaboration toward net-zero carbon emissions by the church by 2050. A video announcing the collaboration notes the potential impact the denomination could have.

“The urgency to reduce harmful emissions that contribute to climate change continues to make global headlines,” said Christina Dopke, church relations manager for Wespath Benefits and Investments, the denomination’s pension and benefits agency.

In addition to Wespath, the agencies originally involved in the net-zero emissions efforts were the General Board of Global Ministries, the General Board of Church and Society, the General Board of Higher Education and Ministries, and United Methodist Women. By Earth Day, April 22, another six agencies and other bodies had joined in the effort, announced in a statement, “Our Climate Commitment to Net-Zero Emissions.” 

In the video Ms. Dopke noted that the net-zero initiative emerged from conversations among the five agencies about their respective environmental sustainability ministries. For example, Wespath, which administers some $24 billion (yes, billion with a “B”) in pension investments, uses its influence as a major stockholder in corporations to promote environmentally safe practices. Higher Education and Ministry encourages United Methodist-related seminaries, schools, colleges and universities to practice sustainability and educate students on the link between faith and creation care.

Three agencies – Global Ministries, Church and Society and United Methodist Women – have ongoing environmental sustainability programs.

In addition to providing worship resources for Earth Day observance, Global Ministries administers three projects:

  • Caring for God’s Creation: Its primary goal is “to raise the awareness of Methodists as to the relationship between Christian discipleship and the care of God's creation. And then to provide various tools by which our churches and organizations can live out their faith, given that connection,” according to the Global Ministries website.
  • Creation Care and Renewable Energy: According to the Global Ministries website, “The primary goal of the Renewable Energy portion of the program is to increase access to renewable energy in developing countries. The primary goal of the Creation Care portion of the program is to equip United Methodists to engage in environmental initiatives in their communities.” A recent example of this effort is documented in an article on the Global Ministries website: "Let there be light – and water and good soil, too."
  • Environmental Sustainability: This program supports the elimination of greenhouse gas emissions across the agency’s ministries, facilities and operations by implementing renewable energy projects, energy efficiency strategies, waste reduction programs, and training resources and programs.

Global Ministries also houses EarthKeepers, a training program that “equips US-based United Methodists to launch and grow environmental projects in their communities. Topics include eco-theology, anti-racism, community organizing, and project planning. All participants plan a project during the training.” The next session begins May 7.

United Methodist Women has focused its climate justice efforts on a program it calls “Just Energy for All.” The organization offers educational materials such as the resource “Be Just. Be Green: 13 Steps to Sustainability” and regularly sends out action alerts advising its members to advocate for environmental care with corporations and public officials. Every third Wednesday of the month, United Methodist Women holds Just Energy for All Strategy and Capacity Building Sessions at 3 pm ET and corresponding times in other time zones. Learn more and register here.

Church and Society works primarily in advocating for public policies to protect the environment and vulnerable communities that have borne the brunt of environmental degradation. According to its website, “The United Methodist Church is committed to ministries that address both the impacts and root causes of the climate crisis. Rooted in the relationships, experiences and diverse contexts of our worldwide connection, United Methodists are faithfully responding to God’s call to care for creation and challenge systems of injustice.”

The agency suggests three things that individual United Methodists can do immediately to respond to the climate crisis:

  • “Learn how your lifestyle and the institutions you are a part of are connected to the climate crisis. Use an online carbon footprint calculator to measure your emissions and take steps to reduce your carbon footprint.
  • “Celebrate God’s creation in worship and discuss the climate crisis with others in your faith community. While some may see climate change as a ‘hot button’ issue to be avoided, we understand it to be a moral crisis demanding an urgent response.
  • “Advocate for policies and practices that build a clean energy future and support frontline communities struggling to survive in a changing climate.”

Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011. This article is published as part of the "Living with the Climate Emergency" special focus of Covering Climate Now, a worldwide collaboration among some 450 publications to enhance climate crisis reporting. United Methodist Insight is a partner in Covering Climate Now.