AS A landowner with about 250,000 acres, the Church of England has a responsibility to manage land sustainably, says a new report and guidance on peatlands protection from Operation Noah, a Christian charity campaigning on climate change.
The report, Church Land and the Climate Crisis: A call to action, focuses on carbon emissions from land use. It notes the concentration on church energy use in the Church’s Routemap to net zero carbon, and its only passing reference to land, which the report suggests as “likely to create more greenhouse gas emissions than all Church of England buildings combined”.
Peatlands, which cover around three million hectares in the UK, mitigate climate change by capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. They have a net cooling effect on climate, reduce flood risk, and support biodiversity.
But about 80 per cent has been affected by human activity. Drainage for agricultural and forestry purposes has led to the decomposition of plant material and soil shrinkage, which releases carbon into the air. A study led by the UK Centre of Ecology and Hydrology, and the James Hutton Institute, estimated that net greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from peatlands could exceed the equivalent of about 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.
“Church landowners should bring about positive change by promoting farm carbon audits and supporting farmers to make identified changes that will reduce emissions,” the report says.
“Churches have a climate impact beyond their own carbon footprint, and changes can be made to ensure investments and regionally and nationally owned land or managed in line with the Church’s values and priorities.”
It suggests that key players in finding ways to encourage more sustainable farming methods which are good for the climate and nature will be land agents, who manage land and tenancy agreements for landowners, including the Church Commissioners and dioceses.
As churches manage housing, businesses, and places of worship, potential should be explored for increasing green spaces, wildlife havens, community allotments, and urban trees, the report says. Tree growing is one priority area for action on church land.
“We call on the Church Commissioners and Church of England dioceses to identify all protected peat habitats within their land, and to work with land agents, tenants and external partners to protect and restore the peat to a rewetted healthy state,” the report says.
“They could also make a positive impact on protecting peatland by introducing policies to ban peat extraction and peat burning on its land.”
With regard to supporting farmers to reduce emissions, the report calls on everyone to play a part in reducing emissions linked to food and agriculture, including reducing food waste and eating more locally sourced and plant-based meals.
It suggests, “Given that so much church land is farmed, improving agricultural practices is important, but this needs to be done collaboratively with farmers, who are the main experts on the land they farm. The Church Commissioners have expressed some support for regenerative farming practices, and it will be interesting to see more information on their Sustainability Strategy.”
Operation Noah has a new four-page resource for churches to download. It has already produced guidance on growing trees, and a new resource to support farmers to reduce their agricultural emissions is to follow.
“As the Church takes positive steps and publicises them, it can raise a prophetic voice influencing parishioners, local communities, and other faith communities,” the report concludes.
“It also has the potential to influence wider society, government and other institutions towards vital large scale changes.”