The Church of Ireland’s central trustee, the Representative Body, approved its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Policy and Policy on Climate Change for 2020 at its most recent meeting in December. The Church has divested from companies involved in the extraction of thermal coal and tar sands, and has sought to increase its exposure to renewable energy assets. Additional restrictions have been implemented for companies involved in oil and gas extraction – especially those whose activities are incompatible with seeking to limit a global temperature increase to 2°C under the Paris Agreement; the RCB seeks to be fully divested from these stocks by 2022. The Investment Committee, which presented the reports, commended the Church’s Investment Portfolio and ESG Manager, Ms Sarah Dunne, on her work in this area.
