December 6, 2018
In March 2012, the Obama administration proposed a rule limiting carbon dioxide emissions from newly built power plants. The restriction required them to include systems to capture the carbon dioxide they produced. The Environmental Protection Agency announced today the roll back of this restriction, sending a powerful signal of support to the coal industry from the Trump administration.
Through a deep understanding and acceptance of creation serving as a reflection of God, Franciscans hold a dedication to care for creation in a loving, relational way. It is out of this charism that FAN staff work towards raising awareness of our moral reponsibility to ensure we leave a clean, livable planet for generations to come.
The many roll backs of environmental regulations and standards is of great concern to people of many faiths. Along with interfaith partners, FAN signed on to a letter to the president and other environmental leaders expressing these concerns and urging the administration to reverse their course and “return to a regulatory path that is in line with principles of stewardship, sustainability, and justice.” You can read the letter in its entirety here.
The recent reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the National Climate Assessment (NCA) heighten the need for urgent action and ambition to protect vulnerable peoples and our shared future. As a call to action, we urge members and friends to continue to call their members of Congress in support of common sense environmental regulations that will safeguard God’s wondrous creation for generations to come. We also take this opportunity to remind you to make your commitment to the Living the Change initiative and urge you to share this information with others. Think of the change we can affect if personal commitments to sustainable lifestyles are made on a massive scale!