In the environment


"Caring for the creation God brought into being, and which He loves, is a vital part of our mission as well as being an issue of justice." Bishop Mike Harrison

We believe that a fundamental part of our mission as Christians is to care for God’s creation. 

We are delighted to have been one of the first Dioceses in the country to be awarded bronze Eco Diocese accreditation under the Eco Church scheme run by Christian environmental charity A Rocha UK, and we are fast closing in on a silver award.  

The Diocesan Environment Group works actively to take our mission forward, by encouraging more local churches to engage with the Eco Church scheme and by seeking to resource and guide the Diocese at every level as the Church of England works towards the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

As well as this, we seek to encourage individuals across Suffolk to become better informed about enivronmental issues and to make greener choices where they can. In the last year, the environment was the focus of the Bishop's Lent Appeal and the Bishops have also hosted a training day on the climate crisis and why it should be of primary concern to Christians.

Diocesan Environment Policy

Our Diocesan Environment Policy, agreed unanimously by Diocesan Synod in early 2018, sits firmly within our Diocesan Vision of Flourishing Congregations Making a Difference. The table below shows our four Diocesan priorities that make up our vision and how through each we seek to further care for God's creation.

Grow in depth by focusing on the glory of God revealed in creation, by becoming better informed about environmental issues and by turning our deeper understanding into practical action.
Grow in influence by speaking up confidently and prophetically on environmental matters, by collaborating with other agencies locally, nationally and globally, and by working together as a network of parishes to bring about change. 
Grow in number by welcoming members of the wider community to join with us in environmental projects in our parishes.
Grow younger by working with schools as well as youth and children’s work in parishes to incorporate care for the creation into teaching and practical activities, and by committing ourselves to care for the long term future of the world in which our younger members will live. 

To learn more about our Environment Policy you can download it here:

Environment Policy | PDF

Aiming for Net Zero by 2030

Early in 2020 General Synod voted for an important change to the Church of England’s response to the climate emergency, for the whole Church to reach ‘Net Zero’ carbon emissions by 2030, “…recognising that the global climate emergency is a crisis for God’s creation, and a fundamental injustice.”   The vote called for all parts of the Church of England to work to achieve year on year reductions in emissions, and to draw up a plan of action to aim to achieve that target.  We are committed to working towards this ambitious plan, and will support any parishes wishing to know more about how to move forward with it.

Read more:

National Church of England Environment Programme | Weblink

More information

If you want further information about the Environment please email the Diocesan Environment Officer.

For information on how to become an Eco Church visit:

Becoming an Eco Church | Weblink

Please follow our Facebook page and join the Environment Facebook Group. 

 

Page last updated 21 September 2020