Presentation to Worthing Deanery Synod: Tuesday 4th February 2014

Environmental Policy

The Opportunity

• Building on Diocesan Synod commitment of 2009:

This synod, recognising that all Christians have a duty to care for God’s creation and that, increasingly, mankind has been failing in that duty, calls upon all of the churches, boards and committees of the Diocese of Chichester to mitigate climate change by having an involvement in initiatives such as Eco-Faith, Shrinking the Footprint, and other programmes.

• New Team – the Diocesan Environmental Action Group (DEAG)

• The current and growing impetus.

The benefits of having a policy

• Our environmental witness within the Church should be credible and authentic if we are to be taken seriously by those outside of the Church.

• A robust approach, in terms of our faith, to resources in an uncertain energy future.

• Gives direction and consistency in our approach to the sustainable use of our buildings and land.

• Supporting the rest of the Church of England.• Best practice in common with other organisations of

a similar size.

Delivering the Commitments

• Review current activities; their environmental position, procedures and opportunities.

• Develop annually reviewed SMART objectives, that are linked to the resources available to us at the time.

• Draw on resources and support from external organisations.

• Provide resources and support for parishes.

Effect of the policy:

National Church/Parishes

Diocese: Associated land and buildings through operations

and suppliers.

Community—individuals and organisations

Some examples

•Glebe land

•Churchyards

•Renewables (West Wittering, St George’s Brighton & East Wittering)

•Eco-Congregation

•CEL

The next step

• To ask all Deanery Synods to comment on the proposed policy.

• To incorporate comments into a revised policy to be put before the Diocesan Synod for final approval in November 2014.