More than £20 million has been 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 and schools and through work-related transport by 2030.
The interactive online report, covering the period from January 2023 to March 2024, reveals:
- £14.5 million projects and grants have been established
- £6.5 million projects funded and grants signed
- 100 retrofit surveys have been completed on clergy and retired clergy houses
- A £2.4 million ‘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 £2 million 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, the Rt Revd Graham Usher is the Church of England’s lead Bishop for the Environment. Bishop Graham 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.”
St Peter Mancroft Church in the heart of Norwich is featured in the Net Zero Carbon 2030 Impact report. The medieval parish church is one of the first churches taking part in the Net Zero Carbon Programme’s Demonstrator Churches project.
The church has received a Church of England Demonstrator Churches grant of £50,000 with co-funding from the scheme’s partners, Benefact Trust, of £36,00 to transform its carbon footprint and energy use by replacing its entire interior lighting system and installing heat pumps as well as batteries and 48 solar panels.
Through this work, the church expects to see an 84% reduction in emissions by saving 52.26 tonnes of CO2 each year.
- Read more here: First Demonstrator Church, St Peter Mancroft Norwich | The Church of England
- Watch the video below.
- The full Net Zero impact report can be read here.
More information
- In February 2020, The Church of England’s General Synod voted to adopt the ambitious target of achieving net zero carbon by 2030. Following consultation with parishes, dioceses, cathedrals, and the wider Church, a Route map to Net Zero Carbon by 2030 was drawn up by members of the Church of England’s Environment Working Group.
- The Route map, published in June 2022, encourages cathedrals, churches, schools, clergy housing and theological education institutions to make changes to their day-to-day activities to reduce carbon emissions. Included are explanations of simple changes which can be made, such as fixing basic insulation gaps or switching lightbulbs. It also sets out the milestones we need to meet along the way and includes helpful advice on developing decarbonisation plans and decarbonising heat through more complex interventions.