7-Year Climate Change Action Plan launched

The Church of England has launched its environmental strategy for the next seven years, as global faith leaders and UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, have gathered to discuss commitments on climate change, before the world’s political leaders meet in Copenhagen in December.

The strategy, Church and Earth, outlines policies on climate change mitigation and adaptation. These will be overseen by the Church of England’s Shrinking the Footprint campaign, set up in 2007, and implemented by the Church’s 43 dioceses, 16,200 churches and 4,700 schools across the UK in an effort to cut the combined annual carbon footprint of around 330,000 tonnes of CO2.

Church and Earth includes emissions reduction targets for the Church as a whole, in line with the national target of 80% by 2050, and with an interim aim of reducing the Church’s carbon footprint by 42% by 2020. The plan puts education and young people at the heart of the Church’s climate change strategy, with all 4,700 church schools nationwide aiming to achieve 'eco-school' status and implementing Government policy on education for sustainable development.

To download the Church and Earth report and executive summary, visit http://www.shrinkingthefootprint.cofe.anglican.org/newsitem.php?id=65