Net-Zero Commitment

Our Pledge

We, the agencies of The United Methodist Church, pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 across ministries, facilities, operations, and investments and to leverage the gifts of our connection putting equity and justice at the center as we build a net-zero emission economy by 2050.

• Discipleship Ministries
• General Board of Church and Society
• General Board of Global Ministries
• General Board of Higher Education
• General Commission on Archives and History
• General Commission on Religion and Race
• General Commission on the Status and Role of Women
• General Council on Finance and Administration
• United Methodist Communications
• United Methodist Men
• Wespath Benefits and Investments
• United Women in Faith

Centrality of equity and justice

The net-zero commitment reflects both an understanding of God’s invitation to care for God’s good creation and a responsibility to address the ways the failure to do so has created environmental, economic and social injustice. The leaders of these agencies and commissions recognize that “the good news of the Kingdom must judge, redeem and reform the sinful social structures of our time” (¶102 Doctrinal Standards and Our Theological Task) and therefore commit themselves to transform broken and exploitative systems.

Simply attaining net-zero emissions could perpetuate the burden on communities that are suffering from our systems of extraction, production and waste. That is why equity and justice are at the core of the net-zero commitment. As the commitment states, in reducing emissions, agencies and commissions will support a just and equitable transition that “dismantles structural barriers to racial and gender equity and builds resilient, flourishing communities.” 

Our Faith Commitment

The United Methodist Church has long affirmed our individual and collective responsibility to address the unfolding climate crisis. We are called by our faith, informed by science and led by our relationships with impacted communities to respond with renewed urgency.

As United Methodists, we will continue to preach, teach, advocate and witness for climate action globally. And we understand that we must do more. Recognizing our connection to and complicity in systems of oppression and exploitation, we commit to new ways of ministry that better embody God’s vision of justice for God’s people and God’s planet.

We will work both to reduce the principal cause of climate disruption— greenhouse gas emissions — and to support a just and equitable transition that dismantles structural barriers to racial and gender equity and builds resilient, flourishing communities.

Measuring progress

Reporting is key to long-term accountability. Coalition members will be accountable to their boards to monitor progress toward the goal, and participate in a bi-annual coalition report.

• All agencies and commissions in the coalition are in the process of identifying the most material sources of emissions they generate and considering strategies for reduction.
• In addition to the tools shared through the coalition, agencies are finding help in tracking emissions from property managers, universities, energy management experts and through sectoral collaboration.
• Many agencies and commissions have experienced emission-reducing transitions related to their workplaces in the last two years, including selling and consolidation of office space and transitions to hybrid or remote work. Some that share office space are considering how to work together on emission tracking.
• Travel and events declined significantly during the pandemic. As staff consider travel and in-person events again, leaders are discerning how to effectively integrate emission reduction strategies into their planning.