The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) took a step Thursday that could eventually lead to divestment from a trio of oil and gas companies for environmental and climate change-related reasons — if General Assembly commissioners agree this summer.
Representatives from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and its partners have returned from an international climate conference that left some observers disappointed about a lack of aggressive action to protect the Earth.
The Committee on Mission Responsibility through Investment of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency, opposing a plan by the Trump administration to roll back methane gas restrictions on the oil and natural gas industry.
The Presbyterian Committee for Mission Responsibility Through Investment (MRTI) voted at its fall meeting to recommend any companies that fall into the lowest tier of its guideline metrics for environmental compliance be added to the General Assembly’s proscription/divestment list.
The Presbyterian Committee on Mission Responsibility through Investing is joining with New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer and a coalition of 25 major investors in calling on General Motors to join its peers in a compromise agreement with California and other states for clean vehicle standards.
The members of the Committee on Mission Responsibility Through Investment (MRTI) heard the criticism: While they were making financial decisions about companies that were having a negative impact on the communities around them, the committee members were not engaging with those impacted communities.
The Presbyterian Church’s Committee on Mission Responsibility Through Investment has completed its first round of scoring corporations’ environmental records, finding some are making progress and others are at risk of potential divestment recommendations.
The siren went off at 3 a.m. Oct. 29.
“Anytime you hear the siren, that means there could be an explosion at the refinery,” said Emma Lockridge, whose home is just a few blocks away from the Marathon Petroleum refinery in Southwest Detroit.
So, she called Marathon and asked what was going on.
“Nothing,” was the reply, though she looked out of her window and saw, “red, billowing smoke.”
Lockridge decided to jump into her car and document the event on video, bursts of fire and smoke flaring onto the screen.
MRTI calls for votes against oil giant after it blocks shareholder proposal By Rich Copley | Presbyterian News Service LOUISVILLE — The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) through the Committee on Mission… Read more »
The best way to advocate for change with publicly-traded corporations is to have direct access to high-level leaders, says Rob Fohr, Director of Faith-Based Investing and Corporate Engagement for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
