Resolved, That the 81st General Convention enable concrete implementation of the bold charge laid out in GC80 Resolution A087 “Net Carbon Neutrality by 2030,” which encouraged Episcopal congregations, dioceses, schools, camps, and other Episcopal institutions to pursue ambitious goals for reducing the church’s carbon footprint, mitigating climate change, and living more sustainably and gently on God’s good earth; and be it further

Resolved, That the 81st General Convention charge and fund the creation or advancement of four strategic, churchwide networks, in order to promote carbon-reduction interventions in areas where there is a) demonstrated passion and leadership and b) potential for dramatic, collective action and impact; and be it further

Resolved, That one such network connect and resource dioceses, faith communities, projects and leaders dedicated to nature-based solutions that slow climate change through preserving and restoring ecosystems. This nature-based solutions network would enhance and extend the work of the existing Episcopal Grasslands Network, which currently includes the Episcopal dioceses of Kansas, Western Kansas, Nebraska, Northwest Texas, South Dakota, North Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana; and be it further

Resolved, That one such network connect and resource dioceses, faith communities, projects and leaders dedicated to reducing carbon by accelerating renewable energy use, including but not limited to solar energy. This renewable energy network would build on the church’s existing partnership with the Episcopal Renewable Energy Non-profit, established by the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin; and be it further

Resolved, That one such network connect and resource dioceses, faith communities, projects and leaders dedicated to promoting agrarian, food justice and outdoor ministries and encouraging sustainable, transformed relationship to land, to food and to the Holy. This network would extend existing Good News Gardens and Episcopal Agrarian Ministry networks; and be it further

Resolved, That the interim body tasked with creation care and environmental justice collaborate with the creation care staff team to identify an additional network focus area, using the criteria above (carbon-reduction interventions where the church has demonstrated passion and leadership and where there is potential for dramatic, collective action and impact); and be it further

Resolved, That these networks share the following marks: host online and in-person gatherings to exchange best practices, share encouragement, maintain accountability and learn from experts; consciously incorporate the presence, concerns and experience of non-U.S. Episcopal communities; coordinate access to critical resources, including the Episcopal Asset Map, Restor, or other mapping tools to track progress on emission-reduction, carbon sequestration, increased biodiversity, water quality and scarcity, agricultural transformation, etc.; share, when appropriate, financial and tangible resources; pray regularly for one another and the specific areas of creation care and justice to which they are called; and support one another if extreme climate events occur; and be it further

Resolved, That each network identify a diocese to serve as the administrative center and disburse funds, if no such diocesan center already exists; and be it further

Resolved, That each network engage a Creation Justice Fellow and/or Consultant who partners with Episcopal Church Creation Care staff to support the network in the following ways: produce communications that inform and celebrate efforts across the network; collect data about the participating members, projects and properties; plan and implement gatherings; write grant proposals and provide other administrative support as needed; and be it further

Resolved, That every diocese in The Episcopal Church be encouraged to establish a Creation Care Commission, if no such diocesan commission already exists, to work in consultation with the aforementioned networks to pursue locally discerned goals for advancing toward net carbon neutrality by 2030; and be it further

Resolved, That the 81st General Convention allocate an additional $240,000 to the proposed triennial Creation Networks and Resources budget (line 168), increasing the budget to $330,000, such that $60,000 a year may be assigned to support the three nature-based, agrarian and yet-to-be-determined networks; and $50,000 a year may be assigned to support the renewable energy network and the church’s existing partnership with the Episcopal Renewable Energy Non-profit (EREN).