Statements from advocates of divestment presented testimony about the human impact of pollution and climate change in the United States and around the world, from India to Nigeria to Nicaragua. Voices on both sides of the divestment issue spoke about last year’s climate-change-linked devastation in Houston and Puerto Rico.
Greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels are the major cause of climate change. Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) leaders overwhelming agree on that.
What’s more contentious is what to do about it.
In keeping with the last two General Assemblies (GA221 and 222 in 2014 and 2016), this year's GA223 in St. Louis will debate whether or not the church should divest from companies heavily involved in the fossil fuel industry. The forum for those discussions is the Assembly’s Environmental Issues Committee, which holds its first meeting June 17.
Thorny issues involved in the pursuit of peace in the Middle East will be among the topics under consideration when the 222nd General Assembly (2016) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) meets June 18–25 in Portland, Oregon.
The General Assembly Committee on Middle East Issues will review progress on the denomination’s divestment from three companies engaged in “non-peaceful pursuits” in Israel/ Palestine. Prompted by several presbytery overtures and a recommendation from the PC(USA)’s Committee on Mission Responsibility Through Investment (MRTI), the 221st General Assembly (2014) voted to divest from Caterpillar, HewlettPackard and Motorola Solutions after a decade of unsuccessful attempts at corporate engagement with the companies.