Decarbonising churches: How an English diocese is turning theory into reality
By Francesca Merlo
What would it take to decarbonise all our churches? Under the leadership of Bishop John Arnold, nearly 50% of dioceses in England and Wales are already on the path, guided by the Guardians of Creation initiative.
Speaking to Vatican News, Bishop Arnold explains that the Church plays a huge role in being a steward of creation and that this initiative, aimed at reducing the emissions of Church buildings, is in perfect harmony with Pope Francis' urgent call for environmental action in Laudato si.
Caring is part of our faith
Through Laudato si he continues, “Pope Francis has awakened the world to the issue of climate change and the care of our common home. It's fundamentally part of our faith that we are stewards of creation”.
The British Ambassador to the Holy See, Christopher Trott, accompanying the bishop, notes that although “a lot of discussions about climate change and tackling it are very theoretical, Bishop John and his colleagues have turned theory into reality through the approach they've taken in the Diocese of Salford”.
From Salford to the world
But the programme stretches further than Salford alone. Bishop Arnold notes that several dioceses in England and Wales have adopted the program and that through webinars, “we’ve seen considerable interest beyond England and Wales”. He noted that the initiative could benefit dioceses worldwide, especially in the industrialised North, where large properties contribute significantly to emissions.
The staggering figures
The problem of climate change is global, and whilst it is in the industrialised North that most of the damage is done, it is often in the global South that the effects are most felt.
Bishop Arnold addressed the disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable communities, particularly indigenous populations and small island nations. He pointed out the Church’s significant carbon footprint, stating, "As of yesterday, it was revealed that our Church's emissions, nationally, are greater than those of small island states like Antigua. This is a significant footprint that we must address, as we are responsible for real damage."
But the social implications of climate neglect go even further. “We cannot even begin to tackle issues such as migration, human trafficking and food insecurity if we do not first address the climate crisis”. An environmental crisis is a humanitarian crisis.
A call by and to all faiths
Pope Francis has highlighted on countless occasions, how care for creation and our common home goes hand in hand with care for our brothers and sisters worldwide, and Ambassador Trott highlighted that “this initiative reflects the work done here in the Vatican, including by Pope Francis himself, who has set up faith leaders as advocates and frontline responders to the impact of climate change.”
While some political leaders and industries have been slow to act, Bishop Arnold said he remains hopeful, emphasizing the importance of faith leaders in driving change. "Faith leaders are crucial in this. We have 1.3 billion Catholics in the world, and 85% of the global population belongs to a religion. Across all faiths, caring for creation is a shared priority," he said.
Three years ago, on 4 October 2021, the Feast day of St Francis of Assisi, leaders of 40 different faiths met in the Vatican and signed a joint declaration- before the COP26 Summit - calling for "urgent, radical and responsible action" to drastically curb greenhouse gas emissions and for the world's wealthiest countries to lead in healing the planet.
The hope of young people
Along with the faith leaders, those most committed and involved in the hope of saving our planet, are young people, whose hope, Bishop Arnold says “gives me hope”.
“They are excited and engaged, and this is their future. We must do everything we can to safeguard it for them, as they will become the true guardians of creation."
As the world struggles to face the mounting challenges of climate change, the Diocese of Salford’s initiative leads by example, showing the world how faith communities can lead the way in sustainable action. Their message? Time for action is now, and every individual, faith leader, and institution has a role to play in safeguarding our common home. “We are all Guardians of Creation”.
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