The 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), which met in Minneapolis in early July, approved four environmental-related business items.
An overture from the Presbytery of Charlotte entitled "On Lifting Up the 'Call to Restore' Creation" reaffirms the Call to Restore Creation from the 1990 policy "Restoring Creation for Ecology and Justice"; commends churches that are working to care for God's earth; and encourages churches, members, and institutions to "adopt institutional and individual lifestyles reflecting greater stewardship of resources, particularly in energy consumption." The overture was amended to include the affirmation that "concern for God's creation is, for every Christian, an essential way of living faithfully"; to affirm that the best available science should shape the direction of environmental programming and policy; and that access to potable water is a human right. Read the overture.
Also approved was an overture from the Presbytery of South Louisiana "On Making Resources Available Regarding Destruction and Loss of Coastal Wetlands" that focuses on the issues surrounding wetlands loss in South Louisiana. The rationale for this overture states that "a land mass equivalent to the size of the state of Delaware has been lost from the Louisiana coastline in the last seventy years due mainly to human-caused factor." Read the overture.
"Recommendations Regarding Deep Water Horizon Oil Disaster" was approved, and will help guide PC(USA)'s ongoing response to the oil disaster on the Gulf Coast. Read the recommendation.
An approved commissioners' resolution, "On the Restoration of Sustainable Agriculture in Haiti," covers many environmental and sustainability issues in the long-term recovery for Haiti, in which PC(USA) is deeply involved. Read the resolution.
More information on these items from the General Assembly will come in the future.