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Presiding Bishop announces Episcopal Church delegation to United Nations COP26 conference

October 6, 2021
Office of Public Affairs

Following a churchwide call for applications, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has named 24 delegates—selected from among 70 applicants—to represent the presiding bishop’s office at the United Nations 26th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, also known as “COP26.”

During the Oct. 31-Nov. 12 conference in Glasgow, Scotland, the Episcopal delegates will participate virtually in meetings, joining others—including delegates from the Anglican Communion and other faith-based partners—who will stand in solidarity with partner nations lacking access to COVID-19 vaccines.

Delegates will complete in-depth advocacy training prior to the official UN meetings, and will host public reports, discussions, and events throughout the process. They will seek to engage global leaders on The Episcopal Church’s climate change commitments and policy priorities for COP26, which are based on General Convention resolutions and can be found online.

“The presiding bishop and the church will be represented by a stunningly diverse, dedicated, passionate, experienced, and creative group of Episcopalians,” said the Rt. Rev. Marc Andrus, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of California and head of the delegation. “It’s a complete blessing that such a delegation has come together for COP26—the stakes for the planet could not be higher nor the need for ambitious action more urgent. With this delegation I believe we will make our best contribution possible to the global effort to turn back the worst effects of climate change.”

In addition to the delegates, all Episcopalians are encouraged to find ways to participate in and promote global climate justice during and beyond COP26, as well as to join the delegates in intentional prayer prior to and during the conference. Find links to resources at https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/creation-care/cop26/ and follow the hashtag “#COP26” on social media outlets.

The delegates are as follows:

  • Rev. Richard Acosta, Episcopal Diocese of Colombia
  • Gabrie’l J. Atchison, Episcopal Dioceses of Western New York & Northwestern Pennsylvania 
  • Canon Barbara Okamoto Bach, Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey 
  • Dawn M. Baity, Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe 
  • Solveigh Barney, Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota 
  • Bishop Cathleen Bascom, Episcopal Diocese of Kansas 
  • Destinee Bates, Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina 
  • Vickie Becker, Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas 
  • Lola Brown, Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota 
  • Bishop Francisco Duque, Episcopal Diocese of Colombia 
  • Susie Faria, Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts 
  • Rev. John C. George, Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast 
  • Lisa J. Graumlich, Episcopal Diocese of Olympia 
  • Rob Hogg, Episcopal Diocese of Iowa 
  • Rev. Canon Martha Kirkpatrick, Episcopal Church in Delaware 
  • Rev. Canon Melissa McCarthy, Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles 
  • Cynthia McCarty, Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee 
  • Tom Poynor, Episcopal Diocese of California 
  • Julia Rademacher-Wedd, Episcopal Diocese of Chicago 
  • Bruno Reich, Episcopal Diocese of Maryland 
  • Ellen Singer, Episcopal Diocese of Texas 
  • Stephen Squire, Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe 
  • Rev. Rachel Taber-Hamilton, Episcopal Diocese of Olympia 
  • Addie Tapp, Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina

The presiding bishop’s staff members and other leadership team members accompanying the delegation include Andrus; Lynnaia Main, Episcopal Church representative to the United Nations; the Rev. Melanie Mullen, director of Reconciliation, Justice, and Creation Care; Phoebe Chatfield, program associate for Creation Care and Justice; Rebecca Cotton, fellow for the Office of Government Relations; and Nick Gordon, Julia Chester Emery intern for the United Thank Offering. 

For more information, email Phoebe Chatfield or Lynnaia Main. 

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Amanda Skofstad

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