By 2030, the buildings of the Church of England will be bright and welcoming, consuming much less energy and emitting less carbon than they do now. And that will be good for the people who use the buildings, and good for the whole of creation.

So how can we reduce the emissions of dioceses to less than 10 per cent of baseline levels? Our Routemap to Net Zero Carbon by 2030 breaks down the journey into milestones to be completed by a particular year, taking it step by step with some easy wins now while laying the groundwork for long-term, more expensive investments that high-carbon emitting buildings will need to make after 2025.

Milestones

By the end of 2022

• Convene a Net Zero Carbon working group which includes senior representatives, bishops, archdeacons and key stakeholders from all departments.
• Begin carbon emissions reporting through the Energy Footprint Tool to churches, and the Energy Toolkit to other buildings.
• All dioceses should develop a communication strategy to churches and schools - focus on the ‘why’, the theology, and make it positive.
• Dioceses should review with their land agents the terms of tenancy agreements to include net zero and biodiversity ambitions.
• Identify your top 20% of energy-consuming churches and invite them to create a Net Zero Carbon Action Plan.

There are also milestones for offices and supporting schools:

• Diocesan offices registered for Eco Church in 2022 and achieve Bronze by 2023 and silver by 2026.
• Diocesan Board of Education to take the lead in the promotion of the Energy Toolkit in their schools.
• It is suggested that Diocesan officers connect regionally to build capacity and support through the establishment of ‘Regional School Environment Groups’.

By the end of 2023

• All dioceses provide an outline of their decarbonisation plans to Diocesan Synod as a Net Zero Carbon Action Plan, to include estimates of costs for different options, as well as the policy changes and levers for change required.
• Every diocese has a 90%+ completion rate for the Energy Footprint Tool, and 100% of cathedrals complete the Energy Toolkit.
• Individually, or in regional groups, all dioceses to review their capacity to respond to the Routemap and identify gaps.
• All dioceses to develop or update a Travel Plan.
• All dioceses audit their landholdings and develop a land management plan.

There are also milestones for housing, offices and supporting schools:

• All dioceses audit clergy property (where possible) by 2023, in preparation for a property retrofitting plan.
• All dioceses to have housing retrofitting and maintenance plans in place, to include a Heating Resilience Plan.
• All dioceses to have commissioned stock surveys such as EPC+ reports for at least a representative sample of clergy housing.
• Dioceses to identify schools with boilers approaching end-of-life and support schools through funding feasibility to identify opportunities for a more sustainable solution.
• Diocesan Board of Education to take the lead in the promotion of smart meter installations in schools.
• All offices to measure and report on their carbon emissions by inputting utility bill information and floor area into the Energy Toolkit.
• All offices have at least a high-level Net Zero Carbon Action Plan, referencing the Practical Path to Net Zero, considering ‘quick wins’, and containing a Heating Resilience Plan.
• Offices to review the potential for installation of electric vehicle charging points and the provision of dedicated car parking spaces for electric cars.

By the end of 2024

• All dioceses to have run switching campaigns to encourage occupiers to switch to ‘green’ electricity and, having reviewed options to replace fossil fuels, any building remaining with gas heating should be encouraged to switch to green gas tariffs at the point of contract renewal*, based on national advice about the criteria to apply.
  *Timing of this milestone to be kept under review, depending on stabilisation of the energy markets and / or government action.
• All dioceses to review and update travel and expenses policies to encourage sustainable transport.
• All pool cars to be electric vehicles (EVs) after this date (assuming a minimum range of 250 miles).

There are also milestones for housing and offices:

• Amend first point to include offices switching to green electricity – “All dioceses to have run switching campaigns to encourage occupiers to switch to ‘green’ electricity and offices should switch at point of contract renewal.  Having reviewed options to replace fossil fuels, any building remaining with gas heating should be encouraged to switch to green gas tariffs at the point of contract renewal*, based on national advice about the criteria to apply.
• For rented offices, initial engagement to take place with landlords with the aim of implementing a net zero carbon plan over the coming years.
• If office review is positive for EV charging points then move ahead to installation.
• All dioceses to have housing stock improvement plans in place, having regard to the timing of when properties become vacant. The plan should make reference to the Practical Path to Net Zero and actively consider implementation of ‘quick wins’, how to decarbonise heat and how to reduce energy consumption.

By the end of 2025

• All dioceses to align land management agreements going forward with the diocesan environmental policy objectives
• Review opportunities to install electric charging for coaches for those churches that are tourist destinations.
• Prepare a report on progress on the milestones detailing the successes and explaining the reasons for any delays to progress.
• No new or replacement office oil boilers to be installed after this date.

By the end of 2026

• Audit landholdings and develop a land management plan.

By the end of 2029

• All dioceses reach Gold Eco Diocese standard.

By the end of 2030

• Implement carbon offsetting with an approved supplier to offset those emissions that have been impossible to eliminate.
• All owned offices to deliver the actions in their net zero carbon action plans.
• At change of tenancy, and no later than 2030, install smart meters in clergy housing to assist with monitoring and management of energy consumption.

Background

For the Church of England, being net zero carbon means that the carbon emissions of our buildings and travel will be reduced to less than 10 per cent of our baseline levels. The remaining emissions will be offset in verified schemes that reduce carbon. That means overall, our buildings and travel will not contribute to rising carbon emissions: their contribution will be ‘net zero’.

Responding to the climate crisis is an essential part of our responsibility to safeguard God’s creation and achieve a just world.

Climate change hits hardest on the poorest countries and poorest people of the world. Meanwhile, the widespread destruction of the natural world is a crisis for creation.

Tackling climate change also supports our local mission. It witnesses to our communities that we are people who care about climate justice, now and for the future. Also, many of the steps needed to reduce energy use will make our buildings warmer and more welcoming, so they are suitable to be used more often by more people, and can save us money on our running costs