Operation Noah (charity)

Operation Noah is an award-winning ecumenical Christian charity, based in the UK, that campaigns on climate change. Trustees are cross-denominational, with members who are Roman Catholic, Anglican and from other churches. The charity is managed by a Board of Trustees, with a small staff that works remotely as well as from offices in Waterloo, London. Operation Noah is funded through supporter donations and grants.

Operation Noah was founded in 2004 by Christian Ecology Link (CEL),[1] with its official launch in October that year.[2] It later became a joint project of CEL and the Environmental Issues Network of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, and gained charitable status in 2010.

In October 2009, the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, gave the Operation Noah Annual Lecture at Southwark Cathedral, speaking on 'The Climate Crisis: A Christian Response'.[3]

In February 2012, Operation Noah launched The Ash Wednesday Declaration,[4] a theological response to climate change. The document was signed by a number of prominent Christian leaders, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Rowan Williams.[5]

In September 2013, Operation Noah launched Bright Now, a campaign for UK church disinvestment in fossil fuel companies.[6] In November/December 2013, Operation Noah was a partner on the Fossil Free UK Tour along with People & Planet and 350.org.[7]

Over the course of 13 years, the Bright Now campaign saw nearly every major UK denomination divest from fossil fuels. The most notable fossil fuel divestment occurred in 2023 when the Church of England's National Investing Bodies, which include the Church Commissioners and the Pensions Board, announced that they would divest from all fossil fuel companies – a commitment which made international news[8]. In December 2025, Operation Noah announced that the Diocese of Chichester had divested, the final Church of England diocese to do so[9]. The investments of all 42 Church of England dioceses – which each have investments separate to those of the National Investing Bodies – are now fossil fuel free.

In 2024, Operation Noah won 'Campaign of the Year' at the National Campaigner Awards, sponsored by the Sheila McKechnie Foundation, for the success of its Bright Now campaign which helped make tens of billions of pounds in assets off limits to fossil fuel companies[10]. In November 2024, Operation Noah celebrated its 20 year anniversary with a service at St John's, Waterloo[11], which featured an address from former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams[12] and contributions from past and present Operation Noah staff and trustees, including the economist Ann Pettifor.

Today, Operation Noah still encourages Church divestment from fossil fuels – the driving cause of global heating – but is more actively campaigning for Churches and faith groups around the world to sign its Green Investment Declaration and commit to investing an initial 5% of their investment portfolios in climate solutions, with the aim of increasing the percentage invested in climate solutions over time[13]. Operation Noah is also calling for UK Churches – including the Church of England, one of the largest landowners in the UK – to achieve net zero land emissions by 2030 and to manage its land for climate and nature; this will include planting more trees, restoring peatlands, re-wilding and making other environmentally beneficial changes[14]. Other campaigns include a partnership with JustMoney Movement ('Big Bank Switch') calling on Christians to switch to a greener bank and stop banking with any of the UK High Street banks which continue to fund the fossil fuel industry[15].

In addition to its own campaigns, Operation Noah continues to support mainstream environmental efforts, including the campaign to stop the Cambo and Rosebank oil and gas fields from going forward, promoting the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, and working closely with the Climate Coalition. Operation Noah also speaks and has a presence at large Christian conferences, including Greenbelt and New Wine.

References

  1. ^ "Churches' climate campaign launched". Christian Ecology Link. 11 October 2004. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  2. ^ "Churches launch climate campaign". BBC website. 9 October 2004. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  3. ^ "Act locally as well as nationally urges Archbishop". Dr Rowan Williams 104th Archbishop of Canterbury (archived). Archived from the original on 30 December 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  4. ^ "Operation Noah - Ash Wednesday Declaration". ecocongregation. Archived from the original on November 20, 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  5. ^ Holehouse, Matthew (22 February 2012). "Pollution goes against God's will, say church leaders in Ash Wednesday message". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  6. ^ Wilkinson, Paul (27 September 2013). "Group calls for Church to disinvest". Church Times. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  7. ^ McKibben, Bill (29 October 2013). "Fossil fuels divestment campaign is gathering momentum". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  8. ^ Roewe, Brian. "Church of England divests from fossil fuels". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  9. ^ Conant, Cameron (2025-12-09). "Diocese of Chichester Drops Investments in BP and Shell, Investments of all 42 Church of England Dioceses Now 'Fossil Free'". Operation Noah. Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  10. ^ "Operation Noah Bright Now Campaign < Sheila McKechnie Foundation". Sheila McKechnie Foundation. Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  11. ^ Read, | 3 Mins (2024-10-14). "Operation Noah celebrates 20 years". Churches Together in England. Retrieved 2025-12-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Conant, Cameron (2024-11-25). "Address Delivered by Dr Rowan Williams at Operation Noah's 20 Year Anniversary Service". Operation Noah. Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  13. ^ "Home". Green Investment Declaration. Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  14. ^ "UK churches urged to lead on climate by achieving net zero emissions - Premier Christian News | Headlines, Breaking News, Comment & Analysis". premierchristian.news. Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  15. ^ "The Big Bank Switch". JustMoney Movement. Retrieved 2025-12-11.
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