Chichester Cathedral has become the fourth Cathedral in England and Wales to achieve Gold Eco Church status, awarded by the Christian conservation charity A Rocha UK.
Chichester Cathedral awarded gold A Rocha UK Eco Church award
The award recognises Chichester Cathedral’s commitment to “take practical action on caring for God’s earth” and addressing climate change. With over 4,000 Eco Church awards given, the gold level is a particularly prestigious and rare achievement.
The Cathedral aims to set an example for church sustainability, from organising clothing swaps to installing draught excluders.
Significant investments have also been made to improve energy efficiency. In 2023, a new low-energy lighting system was installed, replacing all incandescent bulbs, resulting in noticeable energy savings. This initiative underlines the Cathedral’s commitment to environmental responsibility as a major public venue. Assessors particularly noted the Cathedral’s dedication to sustainable events that integrate Christian responsibility to nurture and protect God’s earth, with opportunities for prayer and reflection.
As part of this year’s Earth Day celebrations on 22nd April, Chichester Cathedral launched new sustainability-focused webpages, publicly declaring its goal to become Net Zero by 2030. The webpages showcase the Cathedral’s environmental initiatives, including an interactive map of the Cathedral Quarter, which details its ecology and wildlife projects.
A Rocha UK’s Eco Church programme, now in its eighth year, equips churches and individuals to create a movement restoring biodiversity locally during this critical decade for the climate. The first Eco Church award was given to Hilfield Friary, Dorchester, in June 2016. There are now over 7,500 churches registered with Eco Church — nearly 18% of churches in England and Wales. By 2025, A Rocha UK aims to engage at least 25%, or 10,000 churches, in ongoing efforts to protect nature and address climate change.
Helen Stephens, Church Relations Manager, explained:
“Our huge congratulations to Chichester Cathedral on their well-deserved Gold Eco Church award. Over the past year Chichester Cathedral has made impressive strides in its environmental efforts, reflecting a commitment to sustainability and welcoming nature that aligns with being a beacon in their community. It is great to see all levels of the Cathedral leadership integrating eco principles into every aspect of Cathedral life. There is clearly a strong commitment to being a Cathedral that speaks up and responds to the ongoing climate and nature crises. There is still so much for us all to do, as they recognise but in the meantime, we hope they enjoy celebrating this award and seeing others inspired to join them in taking action to care for this amazing world.”
The Very Reverend Dr Edward Dowler, Dean of Chichester, said:
“We are deeply honoured to receive the gold Eco Church award, which recognises the many efforts made by our entire community to care for God’s creation. At Chichester Cathedral, we are committed to becoming carbon neutral, striving to weave sustainability into every aspect of our life and ministry. This award affirms our ongoing work to protect and preserve the natural world. Together, we aim to steward God’s earth with reverence and responsibility.”
To find out more about the Cathedral’s commitment to a sustainable future, click here.
