Hurricanes. Excessive Heat. Crop failure. The loss of biodiversity and human life around the world. All of it is horrible – and could have been avoided. 

Climate destruction is being bankrolled by large corporations and their executives who choose to act against what is right and good, at the expense of our planet’s future. The climate crisis is a crisis of greed.

From May 8-11, people of faith will gather to learn about how banks and asset managers continue to invest in the fossil fuel industries that are destroying communities in the U.S. and around the world – and then find out how to hold these financial institutions accountable. Together, we can commit to taking the bold steps necessary to effect real change.

This year’s three day summit will amplify the voices of frontline leaders of Turtle Island (what we now call North America) and the Global South, whose communities bear the direct brunt of financial decisions made by Chase Bank, Bank of America, Vanguard, Black Rock, and others who invest in harmful oil and gas extraction.

This summit is for you if you’re just making the connections between faith, finance, and climate, if you’re a money manager rooted in just climate values, or if you are part of a community wrestling with these questions. 

We will build on the momentum sparked with the 2022 launch of GreenFaith’s Climate Finance Campaign. This year we have a lot to celebrate, and the work continues! We hope you will join us and a growing number of partner organizations as together we:

• Root in our faiths for resilience, inspiration, and joy for the journey ahead
• Learn more about Indigenous-led campaigns in the U.S. and East Africa
• Find out how to move your money
• Take action in our closing Action Hour

Summit Agenda

GreenFaith Organizers will update this toolkit with speaker names and themes as they are confirmed.

May 8, 12 to 1:30pm ET – No Faith in Fossil Fuels: Opening Session

Together, we’ll connect with what our faiths teach us about our relationship to the planet and what money and power have to do with it. Come to this session if you’re just learning about faith-rooted climate finance action or if you’re excited to connect with other climate justice activists who are actively working to end financing the fossil fuel industry. 

May 9, 8am to 10am ET – Save Children’s Lives – Responsible Banking Survival Guide for Faith Actors & Partners (hosted by World Council of Churches, UN Environmental Program, Joint Learning Initiative, and Laudato Si’ Movement). Separate registration link here.

GreenFaith is proud to share this event, organized by some of our long term partners. In this session, we’ll learn about how investments in new fossil fuel expansion imperil the well-being of children, youth, and future generations and constitute a form of violence against them.

May 9, 8 to 9:30pm ET – No Faith in Fossil Fuels: Spiritual Practices for Resilience 

Don’t miss this Bonus Session where we’ll come together to cultivate and share ways of navigating these times. Suitable for folks of any and all faith traditions. 

May 10, 12 to 1:30pm ET – No Faith in Fossil Fuels: Climate Finance on the Ground

Learn more about and get engaged with campaigns led by Indigenous leaders and grassroots organizers in East Africa, France, and the United States that are directly impacted by the financing of fossil fuels. Come to this session if you want to hear from grassroots leaders and activists about the impact that finance has on climate injustice. 

May 11, 12 to 1:30pm ET – No Faith in Fossil Fuels: Action Hour

In this session, we’ll take action for just climate finance. Come to this session if you want to boldly take action to hold the banks and asset managers that finance the fossil fuel industry accountable. Suitable for all people regardless of faith tradition or skill level in taking action.

May 12, 12 to 1:30pm ET – Values-Investing for Faith Institution Endowments

Don’t miss this Bonus Session where we’ll learn about 1) strategies to overcome internal resistance to divest fossil fuel from endowments and other institutional investments and also align investments with faith values (creation care, environmental justice, etc) and 2) ESG/SRI myth-busting. Suitable for those who want to be directly engaged in divestment campaigns within their faith institution (e.g. clergy, e.g clergy, deacons, lay leaders, development directors, etc.).