The Church of England’s lead bishop for environmental affairs, Graham Usher, has called for renewed commitment to the UK’s net zero targets.
Bishop Graham was speaking on the tenth anniversary of Pope Francis’s landmark encyclical Laudato Si’, which urged people across the world to recognise the earth as “our common home” and to act decisively in the face of climate change.
“Just yesterday, Pope Leo XIV reminded us there can be no room for indifference or resignation in the face of climate change. For Britain, the Climate Change Act reflects the best of who we are as a country: a nation that cares for creation, protects the vulnerable and builds hope for future generations,” he said.
“To weaken it now would be to turn our back on that calling and on the values we share as a nation. That is why the Church of England has committed to strive for net zero by 2030, because caring for God’s creation is not optional; it is essential if we are to safeguard the earth for those who come after us.”
The Church of England has already made significant progress towards this goal, including cutting its national offices’ emissions, investing in renewables, and supporting parishes, schools and dioceses to reduce their carbon footprint.–