New report highlights progress on Church of England’s ambition to reach net zero carbon
More than £20 million has b
een allocated so far to dioceses to help support parishes and schools to reduce their carbon emissions - a new report published today reveals.
The first Net Zero Carbon 2030 Impact Report highlights the impact of the Church of England’s Net Zero Programme, since it was mobilised last year.
The ambitious programme aims to equip, resource and support all parts of the Church to reduce carbon emissions from the energy used in its buildings, schools and through work-related transport by 2030.
The interactive online report, covering the period from January 2023 to March 2024, reveals:
- £14.5M projects and grants have been established
- £6.5M projects funded and grants signed
- 100 retrofit surveys have been completed on clergy and retired clergy houses
- A £2.4M Quick Wins fund has been launched for dioceses to help parishes with small scale projects such as LED installations, pew heaters or double glazing
- The programme is seeking to support 114 churches to become Demonstrator Churches, with each receiving additional funding and support to be an exemplar church in their region
- A £2M National Framework for Schools Decarbonisation has been developed for Church of England schools to help secure external grants and deliver net zero projects
- And 4865 churches are now engaged with conservation charity A Rocha UK’s Eco Church scheme, a great starting point for churches helping them begin their eco journey.
The Bishop of Norwich, Graham Usher, the Church of England’s lead Bishop for the Environment, said:
“This report illustrates the incredible progress being made by all parts of the Church of England to reach the goal set by General Synod to be net zero carbon by 2030.
“This ambition is at the core of the Church of England’s response to the climate crisis to help safeguard God’s creation and achieve a just world. Every environmental action we take, from installing solar panels to encouraging wildlife in our churchyards, is a step towards caring for God's planet, nature and people. It also means cheaper bills and makes our buildings more sustainable.”
Churches such as St Denys Church in Southampton are showcased in the Net Zero Carbon 2030 Impact Report. The busy city church has saved thousands of pounds on its energy bills after making a number of small changes to reduce its carbon footprint. These have included switching halogen lightbulbs to LEDs; replacing kettles for triple-insulated urns; buying heated cushions for office chairs and installing automatic timers for heaters and lights.
Julian Atkins, Net Zero Programme Director, said:
“We’re delighted to publish our first Impact Report which brings together in one publication a snapshot of all the amazing work which is being carried out across the country. It really is a team effort, with many people all making a contribution.
“Churches, cathedrals and schools are already making great progress in reducing their carbon emissions and many have found that making small changes can make a big difference. We hope the report will encourage and inspire readers to see that achieving net zero carbon is possible and that there is a wealth of support available to help them on this journey.”
Read the new Net Zero Carbon 2030 Impact Report here: Net Zero Carbon 2030 Impact Report by The Church of England - Issuu