Environment Blog

Latest news and updates from the Church of England Environment Programme.
  1. A close up on some purple flowers which are a few petals above a long thin brown base. Behind a blurry fence can be seen.

    How to engage with COP in 2026

    14/10/2026

    In autumn 2026, both a biodiversity COP and climate COP will be held. Find out more about what's on the agenda and how you can engage with them through prayer.

    6 min read
  2. A woman is sat on a pew inside a brick church. The altar and some large windows are visible behind her.

    St James', Shirley is transformed by new heating system

    30/09/2026

    St James' church in Shirley is a Demonstrator Church, meaning they received expert advice and a grant from the Church of England's Net Zero Carbon Programme. See a video of before and after they changed their heating system and read about their journey.

    2 min read
  3. The front of a brick and stone church, with a tower in the middle of the building and a stone portico in front.

    St Mary’s Islington – gold eco church becomes a cool space with a warm welcome in the face of climate change

    21/09/2026

    Churches across the country are opening up as cool spaces – places where people can find sanctuary from the heat. One of these cool spaces is St Mary’s Church in Islington, north London. St Mary’s is also a warm space in the winter.

    4 min read
  4. The inside of a church with white washed walls, large stone windows and pews filling up the space. There are some people sat in the pews and walking down the aisle.

    St Matthew’s Leyburn becomes a ‘safe space’ with a warm welcome thanks to under pew heating

    21/09/2026

    St Matthew's in Leyburn have changed their gas heating to underpew and infrared heaters to provide a warm welcome and a space fit for use by the local community.

    3 min read
  5. A man with grey hair is standing in a church, looking at the camera. Behind him, light is streaming through a stained glass window.

    Celebrating Christ Church Swindon's Eco Church journey

    16/09/2026

    Christ Church Swindon achieved a Gold Eco Church award in 2025 after decades of caring for God's creation. Find out more about their environmental work and journey to gold.

    1 min read
  6. A small gazebo is next to some gates. Filling the gazebo and in several rows across the gates are pieces of paper with drawings on that look a bit like planets.

    St Mary’s in the Wilderness: Healing our relationship between God, people and the planet

    28/08/2026

    St Mary's in the Wilderness is a very different kind of church. With no building, the congregation gather in the Archbishop's Park in Lambeth to worship God and celebrate being part of creation. Find out out more about how the Eco Church works.

    3 min read
  7. The inside of a church with white washed walls and pointed stone archways. The space is filled with pews and people are stood in them, facing the front of the church and away from the camera.

    St Mary’s Embsay with Eastby inspires change with their new energy efficient heating

    26/08/2026

    St Mary's Embsay with Eastby is celebrating becoming net zero carbon five years ahead of the Church of England’s target date of 2030. Learn about how they have changed to infrared panels and under pew heaters thanks to a Give to Go Green grant.

    3 min read
  8. Five wind turbines are just visible above some thick clouds and are in the far distance. The sky above them is blue with a few other clouds and there is a golden glow on the top of the lower thick cloudes.

    Green energy tariffs: what's changing for your church?

    24/08/2026

    Every year we update which green energy tariffs meet the Net Zero Carbon Programme's definition of a genuine green tariff. Find out what's changed this year and what it means for your church.

    4 min read
  9. Dry ground

    Churches invited to pray for all affected by drought, heatwaves and wildfires

    17/08/2026

    Churches invited to use prayers for times of extreme weather set out in a newly expanded service book, as the UK experiences its fifth heatwave in succession.

    3 min read
  10. The interior of a church with the floor taken up and some thin underfloor heating pipes being laid across the entire space.

    The Actors' Church takes centre stage on reducing its carbon emissions to celebrate 400-year anniversary

    07/08/2026

    St Paul's, The Actors' Church, in Covent Garden has decided to mark their 400th anniversary by dramatically reducing their carbon footprint. Learn more about their journey in this case study.

    5 min read