Dear Chichester Diocese ,
I noticed that you have recently voted to continue investing and making financial profit from the fossil fuel industry.
The story of the 'Chichester Diocese’ and of all your communities are unfolding within the context of climate breakdown. Global temperatures are already 1.2 degrees above preindustrial levels and are wreaking havoc across the globe through floods and fires.
However, things are set to get a whole lot worse, as we are on a trajectory to reach 2.7 degrees above preindustrial temperatures by the end of the century—that is a world of mass migration, mass starvation, and societal collapse.
In the words of the UN Secretary-General, 'We are on the highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator.'
These rising temperatures are undoubtedly caused by human beings due to the burning and use of fossil fuels. We must avert the worst of what may come and reduce our dependency on fossil fuels and carbon-intensive lifestyles.
Given all this, the very real risk of societal collapse and an increase in the world's most vulnerable suffering- those who suffer the most from climate breakdown are typically those who have contributed the least- it is not ethically justified to continue to invest in fossil fuels.
With some level of urgency please revisit your investment portfolios and align them with a liveable future.
Yours Sincerely,
Rev’d Jon Swales MBE
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