Presbyterian Church (USA) Carbon Neutral Resolution
Encyclopedia
The Presbyterian Church Carbon Neutral Resolution was a resolution passed at the June, 2006, 217th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
strongly urging all Presbyterians to 'immediately aspire to live carbon neutral
lives'. It is believed that resolution was the first in the world by a major religious denomination for its followers to become carbon neutral.
The resolution also directed the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy to make available detail of how Presbyterians could take to reduce their energy consumption and recognised that 'the Christian
mandate to care for creation and the biblical promise of the restoration of right relationships between God, human beings, and the rest of creation impels and inspires Presbyterians to act to reduce[ their] energy usage'.
The resolution was based on a report by a task force prepared for the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy. After the Advisory Committee voted to postpone consideration of the report until the 2008 General Assembly, two General Assembly Commissioners bypassed the committee and were successful in getting the resolution adopted.
The Church first noted its 'serious concern' over global warming
at the 1990 General Assembly, when it warned that 'the global atmospheric warming trend (the greenhouse effect
) represents one of the most serious global environmental challenges to the health, security, and stability of human life and natural ecosystems'. Despite this, a survey carried out in 2004 revealed that over half of all Presbyterians had not taken even the 'simplest steps to decrease their energy usage', and that most congregations had not implemented energy conservation
programs.
Presbyterian Church (USA)
The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...
strongly urging all Presbyterians to 'immediately aspire to live carbon neutral
Carbon neutral
Carbon neutrality, or having a net zero carbon footprint, refers to achieving net zero carbon emissions by balancing a measured amount of carbon released with an equivalent amount sequestered or offset, or buying enough carbon credits to make up the difference...
lives'. It is believed that resolution was the first in the world by a major religious denomination for its followers to become carbon neutral.
The resolution also directed the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy to make available detail of how Presbyterians could take to reduce their energy consumption and recognised that 'the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
mandate to care for creation and the biblical promise of the restoration of right relationships between God, human beings, and the rest of creation impels and inspires Presbyterians to act to reduce
The resolution was based on a report by a task force prepared for the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy. After the Advisory Committee voted to postpone consideration of the report until the 2008 General Assembly, two General Assembly Commissioners bypassed the committee and were successful in getting the resolution adopted.
The Church first noted its 'serious concern' over global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
at the 1990 General Assembly, when it warned that 'the global atmospheric warming trend (the greenhouse effect
Greenhouse effect
The greenhouse effect is a process by which thermal radiation from a planetary surface is absorbed by atmospheric greenhouse gases, and is re-radiated in all directions. Since part of this re-radiation is back towards the surface, energy is transferred to the surface and the lower atmosphere...
) represents one of the most serious global environmental challenges to the health, security, and stability of human life and natural ecosystems'. Despite this, a survey carried out in 2004 revealed that over half of all Presbyterians had not taken even the 'simplest steps to decrease their energy usage', and that most congregations had not implemented energy conservation
Energy conservation
Energy conservation refers to efforts made to reduce energy consumption. Energy conservation can be achieved through increased efficient energy use, in conjunction with decreased energy consumption and/or reduced consumption from conventional energy sources...
programs.
See also
- Avoiding dangerous climate changeAvoiding Dangerous Climate ChangeThe related terms "avoiding dangerous climate change" and "preventing dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system" date to 1995 and earlier, in the Second Assesment Report of the International Panel on Climate Change and previous science it cites.In 2002, the United Nations...
- Carbon footprintCarbon footprintA carbon footprint has historically been defined as "the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person.". However, calculating a carbon footprint which conforms to this definition is often impracticable due to the large amount of data required, which is...
- IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, 2007IPCC Fourth Assessment ReportClimate Change 2007, the Fourth Assessment Report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change , is the fourth in a series of reports intended to assess scientific, technical and socio-economic information concerning climate change, its potential effects, and options for...
External links
- The Carbon Neutral Resolution
- PCUSA - Electric Stewardship: Plug Into Conservation
- Presbyterian Church Guide to Going Carbon Neutral