Caring for Creation

God’s gift of creation - our natural world - provides everything to sustain our lives.  As humans, we're appointed by God as stewards of life on earth, and yet our actions have contributed to the widespread extinction of species.  Now, human-induced climate change (the biggest environmental challenge we face) is damaging the most vulnerable people on earth and could ultimately jeopardise our very existence.

In late 2019, the Church of England Environment Group called for greater action on Climate Change across the Church.

Our diocese believes that care for creation is fundamental to our mission. At our Diocesan Synod in November 2019 a new resolution was passed unanimously. It read:

This Synod recognises the Environment and Climate Emergency, and commits to the following:

  • Learning the facts about today’s environmental degradation and human-induced climate change
  • Speaking the truth about the emergency and the changes that are needed to safeguard the environment and mitigate climate impact
  • Taking the necessary action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2030, and to model ways in which our faith and congregations can enable all of God’s creation to flourish
  • Fighting social injustices caused by the environmental crisis
  • Implementing the Diocesan Environment Policy 2019 and Action Plan
  • Including our care for the Environment within our diocesan strategy

Our Diocesan Environmental Policy details our commitment to caring for creation. 

Click here to sign up to our newsletter focusing on the environment.

"Choosing Life"

A joint statement on climate change has been released, signed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch. You can read it here: Pope Francis, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Archbishop of Canterbury join together for the first time in urgent appeal for the future of the planet. 

Eco Diocese

The Diocese of Canterbury is registered as an Eco Diocese and is committed to striving to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life on earth. Our commitment to reducing emissions to net zero by 2030 and in demonstrating good environmental practice can be seen in our Environment Policy and Care for the Environment Strategy.

Diocesan Environmental Officer

Joyce Addison is our Diocesan Environmental Officer. You can contact her via email via the Diocesan Offices on 01227 459401. 

Further information

Information on how we can all tackle care for creation can be found on the folllowing pages:

Eco Church South East going beyond bronze

You can find many useful links shared at the event on 8 May 2021 here.

COP 28

Read the Church of England's guide to COP 28 here.

Page last updated: Friday 10th November 2023 10:35 AM
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