A Pastoral Letter from Bishop Stephen
Bishop Stephen has written to the people of the Diocese of Lincoln, following the conclusion of the Makin Review four-step process.
Read the storyA few steps closer to Net Zero Carbon
The Diocese of Lincoln has made big steps towards achieving Carbon Net Zero by 2030. It’s an incredibly important goal in order to care for God’s creation.
A cleaner, greener environment makes way for more sustainable communities across Greater Lincolnshire. Our environmental actions affect the whole world’s climate.
Net Zero refers to the balance between the amount of greenhouse gases produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere.
It is a crucial move to help nature thrive and ensure that future generations can glorify God through the abundance of his love for creation – both human and non-human.
We’re sticking to the Church of England’s Net Zero Roadmap, which can be read about here.
Fascinating findings
The Net Zero team has been crunching the numbers. Overall, total CO2 emissions across nearly one thousand buildings in our Diocese have declined. Parish churches recorded the lowest average emissions among Diocesan buildings, moving us closer to Net Zero.
There have been improvements made in various ways, such as switching from oil heating to electric infrared, draught-proofing doors, obtaining energy-efficient appliances, installing solar panels, or simply switching to a renewable electricity tariff.
Several buildings have recorded a measurable decrease in emissions intensity due to a shift away from fossil fuels or improvements in energy efficiency.
While this is something we should absolutely celebrate and continue to work towards everywhere, there’s still more we can do. Many churches, regardless of age, possess no or highly inadequate insulation measures for one. Reaching our goal of Net Zero requires these improvements.
The Net Zero Team are here to help
The Parish Resource Office at Edward King House can help you become a greener church in a variety of ways.
George Davies, our Net Zero Carbon Programme Enabler, has been travelling across the Diocese to make sure we are aiming in the right direction. He has attended lots of climate-based conferences. He has concluded:
“Lincolnshire’s churches…are symbols of resilience and adaptation. The Diocese must champion sustainable practices that protect both people and the land. Providing clear leadership in this uncertain era will reinforce that the Church’s role is not just historical but essential in shaping a just and sustainable future.”
If you want to learn more about how your church can be more eco-friendly, contact our Net Zero Carbon Team (Chris and George). They would be delighted to hear from you: netzeromanager@lincoln.anglican.org
Getting greener year on year
The use of renewable electricity and green gas tariffs is increasing year on year in our parishes. Plans have already been completed and set in motion for the Diocese Office and Clergy Housing.
In the case of Clergy housing, a steep decrease in emissions intensity has already been recorded. This is thanks to solar panel installation, renewable tariff adoption, and other measures, helping us achieve Net Zero.
Our key Net Zero aims
The Net Zero Carbon team has several key aims to achieve with parishes. They are focused on helping all buildings, churches, and church halls alike to switch to renewable tariffs.
- They support all applications to grant funding and identify opportunities for churches to obtain grant funding alongside the Church Buildings Team.
- Consistent encouragement of behavioural changes is also a priority, with workshops and other forms of assistance being provided.
- Additionally, the team is dedicated to creating and implementing Action Plans for the future of all parishes in the Diocese. They identify and implement offsetting measures. They also ensure all parish data is of an auditable standard to help reach Net Zero.