Church buildings are often solidly built and, when maintained well, have withstood the weather over the centuries. 

However, as the climate changes, and weather events becomes more extreme, they can become vulnerable.  We need to be protect these precious buildings from harm.

At the same time, our churches act as sanctuaries for their communities; they are often built on higher ground and more solidly-constructed than the houses around them, so can be a place of safety during a flood, and can act as a cool sanctuary in a heatwave. 

Below, you can explore the kinds of changes that could help your church adapt to our changing climate, so that extreme weather events cause less harm and can be recovered from more quickly.

Clicking on diagram below will let you explore the main risks, and potential risk mitigation actions you can take.

Why does climate resilience / adaptation matter?
What weather do we need to be ready for?
Where to start, and where to get advice

The climate resilient church

Guidance

Becoming a Climate Resilient Church may seem initially daunting, but the guidance provided below provides a breakdown of the process that can be undertaken in any church to begin its resilience journey.

Five key steps every church should take to ensure their church building is climate resilient include Good maintenance practices, Identifying and discussing potential risks, Creating a Future Climate Action Plan, Communicating expectations and Undertaking a regular review process.

The guidance produced by the Church Buildings Council goes into depth on how this is best achieved and provides support in creating climate-resilient communities. 

Climate Resilient Church Guidance

Webinars, advice and support

There is a range of advice and support available to help you on your journey towards being a ‘climate resilient church’.

Church of England Webinars on Climate Resilience
People to speak to

Case studies of climate resilient churches

During 2022, the Cathedral and Church Buildings division received funding from NERC to create a cache of valuable case studies and resources.

Our researcher identified examples from around the country, showing churches creating climate resilient, future-proof buildings and supporting their communities through extreme weather events.

This page was created collaboratively with staff and volunteers from the Diocese of Leeds.

We are very grateful to them for their expert input. 

Dioceses of Leeds logo

 


Source URL: https://www.churchofengland.org/about/environment-and-climate-change/climate-resilient-church