"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 2020, 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.

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.

The Revd Richard Stainer has kindly volunteered to undertake some scoping work, particularly on how we move to a net zero carbon emissions diocese by 2030.  Richard will be undertaking this work through to May 2021, working closely with the environment group and others. 

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, The Revd Canon Mark Haworth.

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 23 November 2020