Environmental Policies
Dear Editor: As a Christian conservationist and an Episcopalian, I praised the Divine when the Episcopal house of Deputies and Bishops voted to affirm a slate of 15 environmental policies that put creation care and environmental justice high on the church’s agenda at the July 2018 Convention in Austin, TX.
These policies included support for carbon fee and dividend as well as carbon offsets, divestment in fossil fuels, water as a human right and advocacy for ocean health. It’s vital that faith communities take creation care seriously. So glad the Episcopal Church does.
The resolution on carbon fee and dividend is found below and is worth the read.
As Christians and members of a faith community, we have a responsibility to care for the earth and for the peoples of the earth. “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.” Psalm 24:1
General Convention has previously adopted resolutions urging support for measures approving of efforts to reduce global warming, including Resolution GC2006-B002, “Acknowledge and Reduce Global Warming.” While local, regional, and state actions are important and necessary, they are not sufficient to solve this global problem which is accelerating ever more rapidly. The United States must take significant steps to participate fully in the international effort to preserve a livable world.
The non-partisan non-profit Citizens’ Climate Lobby offers a scientifically-based proposal with bipartisan appeal. This climate solution, known as Carbon Fee and Dividend, is a national, revenue-neutral carbon fee- and-dividend system (CF&D) that would place a predictable, steadily rising price on carbon, with all fees collected minus administrative costs returned to households as a monthly energy dividend.
In just 20 years, studies show, such a system could reduce carbon emissions to 50 percent of 1990 levels while adding 2.8 million jobs to the American economy.
The benefits of a fully-rebated revenue-neutral carbon tax are clear to and endorsed by leaders of faith, business associations, national security leaders, and energy and healthcare industry leaders. This market-based solution will save lives, create jobs, and boost our economy while reducing the risks associated with climate change.
Inspiring indeed!
Lisa Sadleir-Hart, Sitka
Member of St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church and a volunteer with Citizen Climate Lobby
