Thread by @OperationNoah

The Church of England #Synod debate on climate change and #divestment is just getting going.

We're looking forward to an interesting debate and will try to keep you up to date on proceedings!

The session opens with a video detailing the Church of England’s concern about climate change and its engagement with fossil fuel companies.

Loretta Minghella, First Church Estates Commissioner, gives a powerful opening speech on the devastating effects of climate change around the world. "Climate change is claiming lives and ruining livelihoods" #Synod

“We cannot emigrate to another world, we cannot negotiate with the weather”
#Synod #climatechangedebate

Says change is about "winning hearts and minds of shareholders” and that the National Investing Bodies have already "achieved so much more than I ever imagined”. #Synod #climatechangedebate

Hands over to Jonathan Spencer, Chairman of the Church of England Pensions Board, who says: “We are beginning to see clear signs this strategy is working”, in reference to the TPI initiative. “Further work is to be done”. #Synod #climatechangedebate

Loretta Minghella issues a warning to "any fossil fuel companies listening to these proceedings" - “There may be times where there is a clear case for disinvestment, from 2020". #Synod #climatechangedebate

The Bishop of Oxford, @Steven_Croft now gives a speech on why he has tabled this amendment: “As a measure of how far we have to go, 2017 was BP’s biggest year of exploration since 2004”. #Synod #climatechangedebate

Bishop Steven highlights the sluggish progress of fossil fuel companies, referring to Shell, a supposedly "progressive" company: “Only 5.5% of Shell’s shareholders voted for a motion calling on the company to bring its emissions in line with the Paris Agreement”. #Synod

"We are on a road to catastrophic climate change if nothing more is done", calling for "more urgency in this debate". #Synod #climatechangedebate

“Engagement on its own is not enough”. Engagement needs to be combined with “external pressure”. #Synod #climatechangedebate

"If the Paris Agreement targets are to be met, the world needs to meet net zero carbon emissions by 2050".
"Therefore the most important question to ask oil and gas companies now is: what is your plan for reducing carbon emissions to zero by 2050?" #Synod #climatechangedebate

The Bishop of Oxford says this amendment does not mean an end to engagement: "TPI will be a tool for many years into the future, whatever the outcome". #Synod #climatechangedebate

"Moral leadership depends on aligning our investments and our lifestyle with a net zero carbon world by 2050" #Synod #climatechangedebate

Loretta Minghella responds by saying that "We agree with the aim of honouring the Paris Agreement" but now is not the time to pull out of these companies. #Synod #climatechangedebate

The Bishop of Manchester takes this opportunity to welcome the Paris Agreement and highlights the successes of the TPI. #Synod #climatechangedebate

Bishop David says "he is sympathetic with Giles Goddard’s amendment" because 2023 is a more suitable year to choose. #Synod #climatechangedebate

But we have fewer than 4 years left for a 66% chance of keeping global temperature rises below 1.5C according to Carbon Brief. Does a 5 year timeframe reflect the urgency of action needed? #Synod #climatechangedebate carbonbrief.org/analysis-four-…

Valerie Hillard, Carlisle, expresses support for point (f) of the motion: “to seek and scale up investment in renewable energy and low carbon technology”.

Martin Gainsborough, Bristol, says that too often the Church comes too late when it comes to social justice issues. #Synod #climatechangedebate

Martin Gainsborough says that technology is not enough on its own - we need to reform international finance.

Did you know that renewables are estimated to be a cheaper form of power generation than fossil fuels in nearly all countries by 2020? uk.businessinsider.com/solar-power-en… #Synod

The Archbishop of York, @JohnSentamu, speaks next: "I have seen the impact of climate change myself in Fiji".
"I have heard the cry of the small island states". #Synod #climatechangedebate

"Fundamentally climate change is a consequence of our arrogance and greed". #Synod #climatechangedebate

"Every year we fail to cut CO2 emissions, we pile misery on people around the world". #Synod #climatechangedebate

.@JohnSentamu says he will not be voting with the Bishop of Oxford amendment, asking whether we will not be using gas by 2020. #Synod #climatechangedebate

The Bishop of Oxford, @Steven_Croft, responds to some of the points raised:

"I support clause that NIBs must engage urgently and robustly", but the "second clause is neither urgent nor robust". #Synod #climatechangedebate

"Five years into the Paris Agreement and the year we need carbon emissions to peak, the balance between divestment and engagement needs to be reversed". #Synod #climatechangedebate

"This amendment has gained the significant support of @christian_aid, @Tearfund, Operation Noah, @USPGglobal, who work with many of the world’s poorest communities." #Synod #climatechangedebate

"The Church of Ireland and Methodist Church have already joined the growing divestment movement". #Synod #climatechangedebate

Next @gilesgoddard speaks on why #Synod should support his amendment, which uses the year 2023 rather than 2020, concerned about the "difference between urgency and haste". #Synod #climatechangedebate

Caroline Spellman, 2nd Church Estates Commissioner and former Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in David Cameron's cabinet, says "divestment won’t stop climate change" but understands the "good intentions" of the Oxford amendment. #Synod

Caroline Spellman: "we have got big companies like #Exxon & #Shell to change their policies".

But the Exxon climate risk report which followed the Church of England's resolution concluded that climate policy posed "little risk" to its investments. #Synod nytimes.com/2018/02/02/cli…

Debate opens.

Eve Poole argues against the Oxford amendment, calling for further engagement. "Being on the pitch allows us to score the goals we could only pray for from the sidelines" #Synod #climatechangedebate

Next @SueBooys: "I speak as a convert".
"When visiting our link diocese, children ran out of church into the rain, and many of the children had forgotten what rain was". #Synod #climatechangedebate

"No one would question the achievements of the TPI. But what change - and how?" It is "not fast enough and not soon enough". #Synod #climatechangedebate

Carl Hughes, Southwark, declares personal interest, having spent whole of professional career working in oil and gas industry. "We will continue to need oil and gas to meet energy demand". But the Oxford amendment is not about ending fossil fuel use altogether! #Synod

April Alexander, Church Commissioner, Southwark: "Now is not the time, and neither would it be in 2020." #Synod #climatechangedebate

The Bishop of Salisbury lists some of the initiatives he has been involved in as chair of the Church's Environmental Working Group, but says "I don’t think we can argue that we will be on an unequivocal path to aligning with the Paris Agreement by 2020". #Synod

Kathryn Winrow supports the Oxford amendment: "Time is running out".
"If you’re a child or a parent in Bangladesh, or Fiji, or South Africa, time has already run out." #Synod #climatechangedebate