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Dear participant,
Happy Earth Day!
As people around the world join together for this annual demonstration of support for environmental protection, Wespath is offering a special update focused on environmental health, climate action and resources to help you honor the Earth – today and every day.
2021 marks the 51-year anniversary of Earth Day. The first Earth Day in 1970 saw some 20 million people – 10% of the U.S. population at the time – hit the streets in support of environmentalism, and the movement has grown steadily since then.
Our own passion for protecting the beauty of the Earth is rooted in our history. The United Methodist Church (UMC) has long affirmed our responsibility to care for God’s creation – including its water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life and space. Likewise, “Stewardship” is a Wespath core value – we believe in prudently managing the resources we are entrusted with, including the natural ones.
In the spirit of these values, we are excited to announce a collaborative, multi-institution commitment alongside fellow agencies of the UMC. Together with our peers, we have released the statement, “Our Climate Commitment to Net-Zero Emissions,” detailing our collective intent to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across ministries, facilities, operations and investments by 2050.
Jump here for a special video message on the statement from Wespath General Secretary Barbara Boigegrain and Chief Investment Officer Dave Zellner. Jump here to learn more about the net-zero emissions commitment.
This joint commitment comes at a key moment for our planet. Global temperatures are rising, and scientists agree that we must act now to avoid the effects of extreme climate change. Countries, companies and individuals are mobilizing to reduce GHG emissions and mitigate climate change’s potential consequences.
Today, the White House is hosting a virtual gathering of world leaders to discuss climate action in preparation for the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference (COP26) this November. Wespath is committed to promoting environmental sustainability in its operations and investments and will work closely with the UMC community to set net-zero strategies ahead of COP26, and beyond.
With this in mind, let’s learn more about why we are called to recognize Earth Day again this year.
A Video Message from the General Secretary and CIO
Wespath General Secretary and Chief Executive Officer Barbara Boigegrain and Chief Investment Officer Dave Zellner speak about the collaborative #NetZeroUMC commitment and our ongoing efforts to address the risks of climate change on behalf of our participants and institutional investors.
UMC Agencies Partner on Net-Zero Commitment
A group of UMC agencies today released and endorsed the statement, “Our Climate Commitment to Net-Zero Emissions,” outlining a pledge to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. The group acknowledged its responsibility to urgently address and respond to the unfolding climate crisis and said it was “called by our faith, informed by science, and led by our relationships with impacted communities.”
The full statement is available here. A press release and additional information is available here. An article from UM News is available here. More details on each endorser’s individual commitments and net-zero strategies will be released ahead of COP26.
Wespath Announces Portfolio Emissions Reduction Targets
Through its membership in the United Nations-convened Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance, Wespath has committed to pursue strategies that will result in decarbonizing its investment portfolio by 2050 – in line with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.
To help reach this long-term goal, Alliance members set interim targets for achieving emissions reduction over shorter time periods. We are excited to announce our first set of targets today! By 2025, Wespath aspires to reduce the carbon intensity of its investment funds by 35% from October 2018 levels.
Wespath believes the most impactful way to support these goals is by engaging companies on the urgent need to transition their business operations to net-zero emissions. By working with portfolio companies and our external asset managers, we can achieve real change around the world, and ultimately, develop a more sustainable economy and healthier planet.
Please see here for more news regarding our interim targets and engagement work through the Alliance.
Update from Wespath’s Green Team
Wespath is dedicated to upholding environmental sustainability in our operations. To help these efforts, we have an internal “Green Team” focused on making sure we carry out our mission – to care for those who serve – with minimal impact on the planet. The Green Team is pleased to offer an update on its plans for 2021:
- Wespath will again partner with Michigan-based Klug Orchards for its community supported agriculture (CSA) program. We think CSA programs are a great way to support local, sustainable agriculture!
- The Green Team is planning programming for International Compost Awareness Week, taking place from May 2 – 8, 2021. Through our internal composting initiative, Wespath diverts 70% of our waste from the landfill. Keep an eye on our social media pages for more!
A Prayer for Earth
We hope you have enjoyed this special Earth Day update – we look forward to sharing more of our work on climate action and empowering environmental health in the future. We close today with prayer:
Hawaiian Indigenous Prayer for Earth
Peace and blessings to all, and happy Earth Day!
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