Environment

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Our Common Home

Pope Francis doesn't hold back:
'The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth.'  

This is God's creation, given to be our home.
What are we doing to look after it?

A Prayer for our Earth* By Pope Francis

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love, that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth, so precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation, to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love and peace​.

* Pope Francis published this prayer in his Laudato Si’ encyclical, and is meant for sharing with all who believe in a God who is the all-powerful Creator​.  

Climate Action Group

Following divestments in fossil fuels and other environmental commitments, the Archdiocese of Birmingham created a Climate Action Group in September 2021 to drive the Diocese's response to the climate emergency further.

The group is working on behalf of the Archbishop and Trustees. Working closely with other curial departments such as development, property and finance it is responsible for:

• Ensuring that the Archdiocese is on track to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
• Ensuring that the principles of Laudato Si’ are embedded in all areas of diocesan life.
• Developing measures against which success can be reviewed.
• Championing environmental practices and identifying, adapting or creating initiatives and training programmes to ensure engagement from schools, parishes, communities, curia and clergy.
• Raising awareness of all those in the diocese and keeping them appraised of measures taken and achievements made.
• Working with property committee to include energy, water and sustainability considerations in all new builds and refurbishments as well as evaluating existing stock.
• Working to identify potential funding streams for environmental improvements and initiatives.
• Working with the Diocesan Education Service to ensure environmental practices are embedded in Catholic education.

You can contact the Climate Action Group directly via [email protected].

Our Diocesan Environmental Lead is Canon Gerard Murray, [email protected].

A Timeline of Achievements

October 2022 - nearly 100% of schools now registered for LiveSimply. Only five schools are not yet registered.

July 2022 - 42 Heat Decarbonisation Plans Created. The Birmingham Diocesan Education Service (BDES) secured nearly £1m of funding for heat decarbonisation plans. 42 schools’ plans have now been completed- these are very detailed documents and include an action plan and a number of outcomes for schools to help themselves and the environment. The BDES is encouraging behavioural change in schools regarding habitually turning lights off and not leaving equipment on standby.

February 2022 - Record number of schools sign up for LiveSimply. As of February 2022, 182 Diocesan schools have registered for Cafod’s LiveSimply Award, requiring them to plan one substantial action – something which involves either a significant change or a lot of people - and at least two smaller actions under each of these three headings: living simply; living sustainably and living in solidarity with people who are poor.

November 2021 - Interdiocesan EV scheme. All clergy and Diocesan staff and their families are offered electric vehicle (EV) leases via the Newgate Cars for Clergy scheme.

September 2021 - Climate Action Group formed. Archdiocese of Birmingham created the Climate Action Group to drive the Diocese's response to the climate emergency.

September 2021 - Fossil fuel divestment. The Archdiocese of Birmingham divested from companies which extract fossil fuels, changing its policy to exclude investments in any company which derives more than 5% of its revenues from fossil fuels.

August 2021 - Welcoming YCCN Relay to COP26 Coventry and Birmingham were among the cities welcoming Young Christian Climate Network pilgrims en route to COP 26. Pilgrims were blessed at St Chad's Cathedral before continuing the journey north.

2020 - Green fuel scheme expanded. For the period 2020–2021 British Gas Trading Limited certified that 100% of the electricity supplied by British Gas via the Interdiocesan Fuel Management scheme (IFM) to Archdiocese of Birmingham was backed by renewable generation guarantee of origin certificates. 100% of gas provided to the Archdiocese by British Gas via IFM is backed by a combination of Green Gas Certificates and Carbon Offset Certificates.

2017 - Green Fuel Scheme launched. The Archdiocese of Birmingham committed to utilising green fuel across the Archdiocese. In 2018, British Gas Trading Limited presented the Archdiocese with a Green Gas for Business Certificate. 59% of the gas supplied to the Archdiocese was generated by renewable sources, for the period 1 October 2017 to 30 September 2018. Approximately 160 parishes across the Archdiocese of Birmingham are currently involved in the scheme.