DENVER, Colo., June 2026 — The Mountain Sky Conference of The United Methodist Church voted during its 2026 Annual Conference to affirm fossil-free investments for conference funds and a just transition for communities and workers connected to fossil fuel industries.
The resolution aligns the Conference with The United Methodist Church’s 2050 net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goal and frames climate change as a moral, spiritual, and justice issue affecting vulnerable communities and God’s creation.
“This action reflects our commitment to align our financial practices with our faith, our responsibility to creation, and our call to justice,” the resolution states in substance.
The adopted resolution recognizes fossil fuel combustion as a leading contributor to greenhouse gas buildup and directs the Conference to guide its investment screening process toward excluding companies whose core business activity involves coal, petroleum, or natural gas production.
The resolution also emphasizes a just transition that supports workers, families, Indigenous peoples, frontline communities, and ecosystems affected by the transition away from fossil fuels.
The action is grounded in the United Methodist Book of Discipline (¶717), which calls for sustainable and socially responsible investment practices that promote environmental stewardship and social justice.
Background
The Mountain Sky Conference’s action follows similar United Methodist annual conference resolutions and draws on model language from the Creation Justice Movement and FossilFreeUMC. It also aligns with broader United Methodist divestment efforts, including fossil-free investment options such as the Social Values Choice Equity Fund.
About the Mountain Sky Conference
The Mountain Sky Conference is a regional conference of The United Methodist Church serving congregations across Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and one church in Idaho.