2021 carbon footprint

We continue to monitor the carbon footprint generated by activities relating directly to the Synod.  This graph shows the values for 2019-2021:

The travel data relates to business miles travelled by the Moderator and Synod officers and staff, the miles the office-based staff travel between work and home, and the journeys undertaken to Synod meetings. 

Once again, the restrictions caused by the pandemic have reduced significantly our carbon footprint.  Our hope and intention is still to see a year-on-year reduction, but the 2020 and 2021 data must, at this stage, be seen as exceptions rather than (necessarily) successful progress.  Nevertheless, we will continue to use online and hybrid meetings alongside or instead of physical gatherings.  We should expect to see some increase in the footprint now that legal Covid restrictions have ended, but we will continue to work towards a “true” reduction over time.

​The October 2021 Synod meeting also authorised carbon offsetting our footprint through Climate Stewards from 2022 onwards.  Climate Stewards are a charity, recommended by Assembly’s Mission Committee, which supports community forestry, water filter and cookstove projects in Ghana, Kenya, Nepal, Peru, Tanzania and Uganda.  Offsetting the 2021 carbon emissions will cost £295.42.  For information only, the 2020 carbon emissions of 26.85tCO2e would have cost £537.04.