Carbon Capture & Storage
Resolution text
Resolved, That the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church shares a profound concern for the welfare of peoples around the world and the environments in which they live that are threatened by climate change as the effects of global warming; and be it further
Resolved, That the Executive Council recognizes
- the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors,
- the significant challenge in achieving this goal,
- the global voice of the Paris Climate Agreement,
- and scientific research from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and others; and be it further
Resolved, That the Executive Council supports methods of permanently capturing and storing greenhouse gases, including nature-based solutions (tree-planting, preservation of unique ecosystems such as prairies, bogs, estuaries, and mangrove stands); Carbon Capture and Storage (also called Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage); and direct air capture technologies under the following conditions:
- Carbon removal must be paired with aggressive emission reductions.
- Carbon removal should not supplant other efforts to address climate change.
- Carbon removal must be permanent and, where appropriate, include long-term monitoring to detect leakage; and be it further
Resolved, That The Episcopal Church supports appropriate research and testing to avoid unintended consequences from these technologies and other climate change mitigation efforts; and be it further
Resolved, That, in agreement with numerous Church policies, we urge that the costs of carbon capture and other climate change mitigation efforts should not fall disproportionately on poor, minority, and indigenous communities; and be it further
Resolved, That the Office of Government Relations is directed to advocate for policies that support the research, development, and implementation of carbon capture methods in conjunction with other climate change solutions.
Explanation
In accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement to reduce the production of greenhouse gases to a level that will prevent global warming above two degrees Centigrade, with the optimum target being 1.5 degrees Centigrade, every method and technology must be employed not only to reduce the production of greenhouse gases but to remove carbon from the environment directly. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) (also known as Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage [CCUS]) is but one of these methods, but one that holds the possibility of significant reduction of carbon in the environment.
The scientific research of the IPCC and AAAS attests that carbon removal is necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, but that reliance on this technology alone to limit warming is a major risk.
Statement to the Climate Ambition Summit, 12 December 2020
By Hoesung Lee, Chair of the IPCC
“Science tells us the climate is already changing because of human activity. We are currently on a path risking serious, pervasive, and irreversible impacts. But science also shows us the pathways that can lead to a sustainable and prosperous future. In Paris, you also asked the IPCC for a report on global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
That report tells us:
- Climate change is already affecting people and nature around the world
- Limiting warming to 1.5º is not impossible, but would mean unprecedented transitions in all aspects of society
- There are clear benefits to keeping warming to 1.5 rather than 2º or more.
- Stabilizing the climate is compatible with other goals like sustainable development and eradicating poverty.
Our last three special reports show that the need – and possibility — for urgent action are clear.
Governments are responding to these findings with new commitments which are not yet enough to keep warming below 1.5 degrees, and we look forward to hearing stronger commitments today in line with climate science.
Science continues to advance, and the IPCC is working on the Sixth Assessment Report despite the many challenges.”
The statement of AAAS on the 4th National Climate Assessment:
“Policymakers can no longer afford to dismiss or ignore the overwhelming scientific evidence of climate change. The science on climate is clear, and we must face the facts in order to address the risks. We welcome the 4th National Climate Assessment and the work of scientists at federal agencies, national labs and academic institutions who provide significant research findings that increase our understanding of how climate change is affecting the United States and the world. We will continue to implore decision-makers at all levels – local, state, regional and national – to use scientific evidence as they find opportunities for communities to respond effectively to climate change. The scientific community stands ready to help inform your choices.” – Rush Holt, chief executive officer, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Two resolutions, passed by GC79 and GC78, underscore the position of The Episcopal Church in combatting environmental racism, underscoring the concern of the third Resolved, above:
2018-A011—Confirm Commitment to address environmental racism. Resolved, That the 79th General Convention affirm the need for governments, private industry and all people to act to protect the health of all persons from unsafe and unhealthy exposures to air and water pollution, toxic substances, or radiation in their food, water supply, living quarters, and work places; and be it further
Resolved, That the Church recommit to the excellent work done by previous General Conventions of The Episcopal Church, specifically resolutions 2000-D005, 2012-B023, 2012-C079, and 2015-C013 and that General Convention affirm that no community, especially poor communities, those who live closest to the land in subsistence cultures, and members of marginalized ethnic groups, should bear a disproportionate risk of environmental pollution or degradation; and advocate for and support policies that protect these populations and the sanctity of communities and the livelihood of future generations from the disparate impact of climate change and environmental degradation;
2015-C013—Oppose environmental racism. Resolved, That the 78th General Convention of The Episcopal Church recommit to oppose environmental racism, expressed in such ways as the locating of extraction, production, and disposal industries where they disproportionately harm neighborhoods inhabited by people of color and low income communities.