Environmental work so far

This page summarises work done under the Diocese’s programmes for the environment and sustainability, whose purpose is to fulfil our duty to Care for God’s Creation.

We are on a journey – this is how far we’ve travelled:

Eco Diocese

• Eco Diocese Bronze Award.

Campaign organisation and support

• Diocesan Environmental Policy
• Caring for God’s Creation Advisory Group
• Net Zero Carbon Task Group
• Head of Environmental and Sustainability, Net Zero Plan Coordinator, Parish Engagement Officer.

Parishes and people

• Eco Church launched at St Paul’s Cathedral – 184 participant churches, 88 award winners including two Gold Award winners
• Network of Parish Environmental Champions
• Support for the Environment and Mission Action Plans
• Advice on energy efficient lighting and heating
• Advice on switching to green electricity suppliers
• Climate Action Projects – at least 44 solar PV panels installations to churches and halls, houses and schools
• Green roof and energy piles at St Paul Hammersmith Church Centre (RIBA Award winning)
• Advice upon energy-saving and sustainability, many other parish building projects, with Parish Property Support Team and DAC
• Numerous parish audits and policies, local green initiatives eg in saving energy, lightbulb replacement, water and waste reduction, ethical food
• Green Corners awards to churchyards
• Lent Carbon Fasts, Environment and Education Sundays, Creation Time
• Participation by local churches in ‘Transition Towns’, including Transition Ealing
• St Paul’s Cathedral – extensive environmental programme, including heat pumps to Chapter House.

Measuring and reducing energy use and carbon emissions

• From 2005 to 2021, based on the national Energy Footprint Tool, together with the latest data from earlier years – 28.8% efficiencies in annual energy use, net of renewable energy; 41.8% efficiency improvements in net carbon dioxide (CO₂e) emissions
• Measured estimate of energy use and carbon emissions by diocesan schools since 2019
• Long-term plan for energy and carbon emissions reduction and climate mitigation
• Climate Action Programme – Environmental Audits, Generic Building Solutions, Energy-saving Benchmarking
• 24 audits and resulting projects in Islington churches, paid for by local charity Cloudesley
• Generic Building Solutions; pilot projects beginning with St Mary Magdalene Paddington and St John at Hackney
• Professional advice on smart metering
• DAC study days for quinquennial inspectors on energy conservation and climate readiness.

Water and waste

• Deanery and Synod motions on recycling of waste from churches
• Extension of Energy-saving Benchmarking to include water consumption, waste disposal and recycling
• Zero to landfill waste disposal from Diocesan House; up to 75% recycled
• Silver Recycling Award.

Wildlife and biodiversity

• Churchyards Ecology Survey, 31 sites visited and surveyed so far (Greater London wide, with Dioceses of Chelmsford, Southwark and Rochester), results published in British Wildlife Magazine
• DAC advice on wildlife in churchyards
• Guidance on trees in churchyards.

Church schools

• Energy and carbon emissions measured and benchmarked
• Diocesan Board for Schools environmental policy and action
• Net Zero Carbon plan
• 33% participation in Eco Schools.

Parsonages

• Home energy surveys and upgrades to parsonages
• Programme of double glazing progressing to parsonages
• Comprehensive survey and terrier with EPCs to plan work towards net Zero Carbon by 2030
• Low carbon parsonage development projects – new Code 6 Vicarages for St John Wembley and St Nicholas Perivale complete; Wembley awarded the then highest score ever by Building Research Establishment
• More low carbon and ‘Passivhaus’ clergy houses completed.

Diocesan office

• Environmental audit and upgrades to 36 Causton Street, Energy Performance Certificate (Band C)
• 2012 savings target exceeded, 2020 and 2050 targets part achieved
• Exclusive use of recycled paper
• Zero to landfill, up to 75% recycling, Silver standard
• Energy-saving IT systems.

Risk management

• Diocesan risk analysis on extreme weather and flooding
• Rapid response to flooded communities.

Wider outreach

• Public events programme
• Policy and engagement on Heathrow airport expansion (opposing a third runway)
• Collaboration with national C of E Environmental Programme
• General Synod motion, jointly with Truro Diocese, passed February 2019, to raise C of E’s contribution to the environment and climate change mitigation
• Involvement in consultations by Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
• Support for establishment and maintenance of CoE national Energy Footprint Tool
• Collaboration with other national and local government bodies, NGOs and educational charities
• Articles in Church Times, RICS, British Wildlife and other journals
• Participation in national Climate Week, International Year of Biodiversity
• Interfaith cooperation on climate change and the environment, with national Church and Lambeth Palace, Alliance of Religions and Conservation, the UN Secretary-General and the C of E’s ‘Church and Earth’ long-term plan, as well as individual faith groups.

International

• Collaboration with ALMA (Angola London Mozambique Association), eg in Lent Appeals for water and transportation projects
• Partnership visit to Anglican Province of Southern Africa
• Route around the World event in St George Bloomsbury.

Links

Church of England Environment Programme
Diocesan Environmental Policy
Climate Action Programme
Climate Action Projects.

Head of Environment and Sustainability.

Environment and Sustainability, front page.

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