umcenvironmental justice for a sustainable future.pdf

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Environmental Justice for a Sustainable FutureHistorical and Theological Concerns

"The earth is the LORD'S, and the everything in it" (Psalm 24:1). We are entrusted to care for God's beautifulcreation (Genesis 2:15; Psalm 8) and to notice and praise God for its diversity of creatures (Psalm 148).

Cosmic redemption includes all the created order (Colossians 1:19-20), which after all bears witness to God(Romans 1:20). We have failed, however, to care for God's creation.

Too often we have interpreted God's invitation to subdue and take charge of creation (Genesis 1:28) as license

to abuse it.

Our failure to serve as faithful caretakers of creation has led to local and global ecological crises, the signs ofwhich are evident around us. From poisoned soil and waters to deforestation and the destruction of mountains,

our unchecked consumption and unsustainable growth are threatening the fragile balance of life on earth. As

air pollution threatens human health so too do our actions threaten the existence of other animals and plants

that are part of God's great, sacred handiwork.

Even as our pursuit of "development" for the sake of human progress has exacted a toll on creation, we

struggle to find ways to share fully the abundance God has entrusted to us. Present social, political, and

economic development structures fail to provide the basic necessities of food, clothing, and shelter for all ourbrothers and sisters around the world with more than 1.4 billion people currently living in extreme poverty.

Continued population growth, combined with higher standards of living, will pose severe strains on land,

water, energy, and other natural resources.

Confronted with the massive crisis of the deterioration of God's creation and faced with the question of the

ultimate survival of life, we ask God's forgiveness for our participation in this destruction of God's creation.

We have misused God's good creation.

We have denied that God's covenant is with all living creatures (Genesis 9:9). We have even denied that all ofthe human family should enjoy the covenant.

We forget that the good news that we are called to proclaim includes the promise that Jesus Christ came to

redeem all creation (Colossians 1:15-20).

We believe that at the center of the vision of shalom is the integration of environmental, economic, and social

justice.

We are called to eliminate overconsumption as a lifestyle, thus using lower levels of finite natural resources.

We are called to seek a new lifestyle rooted in justice and peace wherein all God's children share in creation'sabundance.

Principles for a Sustainable Future

The Social Principles of The United Methodist Church remind us that "all creation is the Lord's, and we areresponsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it" ( 160). Development must be centered in the concept

of sustainability as defined by the World Commission of Environment and Development: "to meet the needs of

the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." The Christian


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understanding of sustainability encompasses this concept. Fundamental to our call as faithful witnesses is the

meeting of human needs within the capacity of ecosystems. This ensures the security of creation and a just

relationship between all people. Sustainable development, therefore, looks toward a healthy future in three

vital areas: the social community, the economy, and the environment.

Conclusion

The United Methodist Church will strive for a global sense of community to help achieve social, economic,and ecological justice for all of creation.

We will focus on the conversion to sustainable practices in the following areas:

Atmosphere

Support measures calling for the reduction of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide,which contribute to acid rain and global climate change.

Enforce agreements banning the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to stop the depletion of the ozone layer.

Support ratification and enforcement of international frameworks, such as Kyoto Protocol, that seek to reduce

global greenhouse gas emissions.

Support the cleanup of environmental problems through economic incentive, appropriate enforcementmeasures, and sanctions against those causing pollution.

Support efforts that would reflect in their pricing the full life-cycle cost of products to incentivize efficiency by

both manufacturers and consumers.

Earth

Support integrated and sustainable natural resource management.

Commit to the "Greening of the World" through the limiting of all emissions of pollutants that damage forests

and reforestation.

Work for ecologically sound agricultural practices that produce healthy food and a clean environment.

Protect biodiversity among both animals and plants.

Water

Maintain that water is a basic human right not a commodity to be traded for profit.

Support integrated, sustainable management to reduce or eliminate factors contributing to limited waterquantity and poorer quality.

Encourage on-site water conservation and reuse through improved building and community design.


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Energy

Support improved energy conservation and greater reliance on new and renewable sources of energy.

Support the development of eco-efficient mass transportation.

Support a call for a just and sustainable national energy policy.

Support policies that hold polluters responsible for the full cost of cleanup efforts.

Actions/Recommendations

We call upon the agencies and local congregations of The United Methodist Church to take the followingactions:

Council of Bishops

Communicate to the church the urgency of reducing our individual and corporate impact on God's Creation.

Model for the church a "ministry of witness" by advocating for public policies that renew God's Creation.

Connectional Table

Request that each quadrennial report to General Conference include an evaluation of creation-care efforts and

steps taken by the reporting body to integrate sustainable environmental practices into its ministry.

General Board of Church and Society (GBCS)

Develop resources highlighting opportunities for personal engagement and advocacy for individuals, localchurches, annual conferences, and the general Church to understand and respond to our call to be caretakers of

God's Creation.

General Board of Discipleship (GBOD)

Develop curriculum and programs (for all ages), in consultation with GBCS, that emphasize ecologicalresponsibility as a key element of discipleship.

General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM)

Join with the GBCS in working with mission partners to participate in the ongoing global dialogue onsustainability through the United Nation's Commission on Sustainable Development.

Conduct a survey, with the assistance of all mission partners, to identify environmental concerns and developprojects geared to the solution of common concerns.


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Initiate an audit of all sponsored projects and meetings as to their environmental effect on the global ecological

balance.

Establish an eco-mission intern group to work on ecology issues.

Include global environmental issues in the training of all GBGM missionaries.

Facilitate dialogue between religious groups, other non-government organizations, and government agencies

on the formation and methods of popular participation.

General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM)

Include a greater awareness in clergy education and training of the global ecological crises.

United Methodist Communications (UMCom)

Produce programs that stress Christian responsibility for the future of creation and include models of TheUnited Methodist Church's involvement in environmental justice.

General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA)

Assist the church in its effort to be ecologically responsible in its own use of resources by collecting statistics

on local churches' and general agencies' use of energy, water, paper, and recycling to monitor the progress ofthe church in these aspects of stewardship.

General Board of Pension and Health Benefits (GBPHB)

Develop investment guidelines, in consultation with agencies, to evaluate its securities on adherence to highstandards of environmental accountability as evidenced by the adoption of an environmental code of conduct

and a practice of transparency in public environmental reporting.

Local Congregations

Develop programs to incorporate the concerns of ecological justice into their work in evangelism, socialconcerns, mission activities, stewardship, trustees, and worship.

ADOPTED 1992AMENDED AND READOPTED 2004

AMENDED AND READOPTED 2012

RESOLUTION #1023, 2008BOOK OF RESOLUTIONSRESOLUTION #7, 2004BOOK OF RESOLUTIONS

RESOLUTION #7, 2000BOOK OF RESOLUTIONS

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