The Church of England has allocated more than £20 million so far to dioceses to help support parishes and schools reduce their carbon emissions. However its ambitious aim of achieving net zero carbon by 2030 is said to be a “point on the journey” rather than a realistic target.
The CofE’s first Net Zero Carbon 2030 Impact Report highlights the progress of its Net Zero Programme since it was launched last year. The programme aims to equip, resource and support the Church to reduce carbon emissions from the energy used in its buildings and schools and through work-related transport by 2030.
The report, which covers the period from January 2023 to March 2024, reveals:
£14.5 million projects and grants have been established, with £6.5 million projects funded and grants signed. A hundred retrofit surveys have been completed on clergy and retired clergy houses and a £2.4 million fund has been launched for dioceses to help parishes with small scale projects such as LED installations, pew heaters or double glazing.
The Bishop of Norwich, Graham Usher, the Church of England’s lead Bishop for the Environment, said: “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."
Shannon Carr-Shand who is the CofE’s net zero carbon programme manager told Premier: “2030 is the target, but it's a point on the journey, so we will not have finished the job by 2030 and there will be work to continue. But in practice, it’s an investment in all of our buildings to help them move from a dependence on fossil fuels for their energy and heating and lighting sources and shift to low-carbon alternatives, and in most places, that's a shift to electrical heating systems.”
Churches such as St Denys Church in Southampton are showcased in the Impact Report. It’s 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: “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.”