he Church of England has invested £30 million to achieve its 2030 net-zero target.
Thousands of churches, cathedrals, clergy houses and other buildings in England will benefit from the investment, which comes as the first phase of a series of grants and projects, the Church said.
The initiative, called the Net Zero Carbon Programme, has been funded by the Church Commissioners for England.
Dioceses, their parishes and schools will be able to access the money to help reduce carbon emissions from the energy used in these buildings.
We are already seeing the devastating effects of climate change and we must act now
Measures will include improving energy efficiency and switching to cheaper renewable energy sources.
Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich and the Church’s lead bishop for the environment, said: “The ambition to be net zero by 2030 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.
“Climate change is hitting the poorest people of the world hardest.
“We are already seeing the devastating effects of climate change and we must act now.”
England’s 600 churches with the highest energy use will have access to fully funded energy audits.
These will come with small grants to create action plans and kickstart initial green projects.
There will be more details on how dioceses and parishes can apply for support in the coming weeks and months – and what we learn during this phase will inform the future phases of our work
Meanwhile, a further 1,000 churches will be able to apply for subsidised audits.
The programme will also offer “quick wins” grants for small-scale work in churches, such as installing LED lighting or alternative heating solutions.
Elsewhere, a “pilot and evaluation fund” will support the trialling of new net zero carbon technologies, the Church said.
Packages of technical and fundraising support will be available for “demonstrator churches”, who can lead the action for other churches by sharing their own success in reducing carbon emissions.
In terms of other buildings, the programme will fund detailed energy surveys on cathedrals and more than 100 Church of England clergy houses across four dioceses, representing various housing types and uses.
The Church said these surveys will help dioceses and cathedrals understand what is needed to achieve their net zero carbon ambitions.
Julian Atkins, Net Zero Carbon Programme director with the Church Commissioners, said: “The announcement today represents the first major milestone of the Church of England’s Net Zero Carbon Programme, and there is much more to come.
“There will be more details on how dioceses and parishes can apply for support in the coming weeks and months – and what we learn during this phase will inform the future phases of our work.”