Operation Noah has welcomed the announcement from Quakers in Britain
proposing disinvesting from fossil fuels and calling on others to do so.Operation Noah is an ecumenical Christian charity providing leadership, focus and inspiration in response to the growing threat of catastrophic climate change.
The Quakers have made it clear that fossil fuel investment it is incompatible with their commitment to become a low-carbon community.
The decision was agreed by Quaker representatives on Saturday 5 October and is subject to a final decision from their Trustees, who meet on 18 October 2013.
The announcement comes just weeks after Operation Noah launched Bright Now, the campaign for church disinvestment from fossil fuel companies.
It follows a lengthy period of advocacy from the think-tank Ekklesia and other 'creation responsibility' activists and NGOs in and around the churches.
The Operation Noah campaign calls on the churches and Christian community in these islands to: "disinvest from companies involved in the extraction of fossil fuels
take a leading and influential role in the debate on the ethics of investment in fossil fuels; and to support the development of clean alternatives to fossil fuels through their investment policies."
Operation Noah chair Isabel Carter commented: ‘This news is a huge encouragement to us, coming so soon after our launch of the Bright Now campaign. We wish to congratulate the Quakers on taking leadership on this vital issue. We urge other churches in the UK to think seriously about following this example.’
Operation Noah have created a report for the Bright Now campaign outlining the scientific, financial, moral, theological and practical case for churches to change their investment policy on fossil fuels.
It is available to download from www.brightnow.org.uk/resources.