Christian climate organisation Operation Noah is urging UK churches to take bold action on the climate crisis by committing to net zero land emissions by 2030.

The group has delivered an open letter, signed by more than 500 supporters, to denominational leaders across the country, calling for urgent and tangible steps to care for the land they steward. Campaigners personally delivered the letter to church offices in London, Cardiff and Edinburgh.

It was addressed to leaders from nine major denominations, including the Church of England, the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, the Church in Wales, the Church of Scotland, the Methodist Church, and Quakers in Britain.

The letter outlines seven key targets, including a call to “protect 30 per cent of Church land for nature by 2030” and to “restore 100 per cent of degraded peatland by 2030”.

UK churches collectively own a significant portion of the nation’s land—around 1 per cent—encompassing vast areas of farmland and woodland. Much of this land, depending on how it is managed, could either serve as a powerful carbon sink or contribute heavily to emissions.

The Church of England is among the largest landowners in England, while the Roman Catholic Church is one of the largest globally.

As part of its campaign, Operation Noah is also calling on churches to publicly map their landholdings, including usage and environmental features such as peat presence, by 2030. Currently, such data is often incomplete or inaccessible.