Heavens! Church won’t hit net zero now until 2050

Posted 03/08/2026

It is not just the British Government that’s having problems hitting net zero by 2030 – the Church of England has admitted it needs an extra 20 years to reach that target by 2050.

At the church’s recent General Synod meeting – the equivalent to the Parliament comprising lay members and clergy – members expressed their disappointment that they would not hit the target they set in 2020 when they voted to bring forward their deadline by 15 years to 2045.

This gave the church just ten years rather than the proposed 25 years to get its 16,000 churches, 42 cathedrals and 200,000 acres of land to become carbon neutral.

“It just shows how easy it is to set these time scales, but how much more difficult it is to achieve them,” says Midlands green energy expert Ron Fox.

The C of E has invested £190 million in its drive to reach net zero for the period 2023 to 2031, helping churches to install eco-friendly boilers, heating insulation and wiring in centuries old buildings, which are challenges in themselves.

But officials are still hopeful parishes and congregations will have cut the Church of England carbon emissions by 29 per cent by the end of this decade and by 50 per cent by 2034.

“It is good that the Church of England is setting a fine example by being at the forefront of climate action,” said Ron, of Noreus Ltd on the University of Keele Science and Innovation Park. “And it has galvanised action across all parts of the church which would not otherwise have happened.”

He added that one encouraging aspect of the General Synod report was the great progress being made with introducing modern lighting to parish churches, which is a simple way of cutting heating costs by up to 70 per cent, at the same time as lowering energy bills and being more economically friendly.

Ron said all churches should look at one simple solution – installing infrared panel heaters as they deliver warmth directly to people rather than trying to heat an entire church area and so are more energy efficient.

Other advantages include:

As the infrared panels are stand-alone units, without any pipes, they can be positioned to fit the layout of the church, or even be hung on the ceiling so that they point down to the people below.
They’re cheaper to buy and to run compared to gas heaters.
It takes only 30 seconds for them to reach their optimal heating temperature, whereas in some churches they put the heating on Saturday night to ensure the building is warm for the Sunday service the next morning.
They are particularly effective in older buildings which have high ceilings and poor insulation.
They are ideal for churches that want to just heat an office or a hall.
Condensation, mould and dampness can be eliminated.
They do not dry out the air, so it is good for allergy and cold sufferers.
Infrared heating is completely safe – it is UV (ultraviolet) rays that can cause some problems.
The units are British manufactured and made with stainless steel and have a 10-year warranty.
The panels are easily installed by experts, leading to minimal disruption for church members.“Probably one of the biggest advantages,” said Ron, “is that for around £300 people can have a panel put up in just one part of the church to try them out before putting them up in more areas.”

This article raises some important questions, said Ron. What action has your church taken to cut its carbon footprint? Should the Church of England be doing more by providing grants to help churches fight climate change? Is your church cold and draughty? Would your church like to try an infrared panel heater? Send your views to Ron Fox at [email protected]

For those church leaders wanting more advice on green energy, infrared heating panels and how to cut their heating bills, call Ron on 0845 474 6641 or go to www.noreus.co.uk

Caption: A modern and green way to keep churches warm – infrared heaters at St Peter’s Church, Norbury, Staffordshire. Picture: Tansun Ltd.