Crucial steps on a journey to net zero

In episode 20 of The Decarbonisation Dialogue, we speak with Julian Atkins of the Church of England about how everyone can play a role in tackling climate change.

We can all take steps to protect the planet - and no action is too small. That’s the powerful message from Julian Atkins, net zero programme director at the Church of England, who joined us for Episode 20 of The Decarbonisation Dialogue.

Julian believes that climate action is both a practical and moral responsibility.

“In the Church of England, caring for God’s creation is intrinsic to our Christian faith,” he explains. “It’s part of our Five Marks of Mission. We need to ensure that the way we tread on this planet is as light as possible.”

As director of the Church’s ambitious Net Zero Carbon 2030 Programme, Julian leads efforts to reduce emissions across a vast portfolio of more than 32,000 buildings - including churches, cathedrals, schools, and clergy housing. The programme was launched following the Church of England’s 2020 General Synod commitment to reach net zero by 2030.

Julian’s role is about more than reducing emissions. It’s about creatively leveraging national funding to drive local action and innovation.

“It’s a huge challenge,” Julian admits. “One that will take a lot of concerted action, the funding that the church commissioners have made available to our work is a large sum of money, it’s nowhere near enough, we know it’s going to cost us a lot more.

“The ambition has been set to try and see how far we can get moving forward in hope to get as far as possible in decarbonising our buildings.”

In many smaller churches, simple, affordable actions such as switching to energy-efficient lighting or improving insulation can make a big impact. Julian advocates a practical approach, encouraging churches to focus on “heating the people rather than the space.”

One recent success is the Church of England’s involvement in Phase 4 of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. This has opened new opportunities for collaboration with Church schools.

“It’s not just about buildings,” Julian says. “We’re also helping educate future generations on the importance of caring for the environment and reducing our impact on the planet.”

Working closely with school administrators, Julian and his team are aligning environmental goals with the curriculum, recognising that climate change is a major concern for many young people today.

The Church is also undertaking demonstrator projects to retrofit clergy housing with measures such as heat pumps, new windows, and enhanced insulation. These projects serve as testing grounds for wider implementation.

“The work is encouraging,” Julian says. “We’re seeing substantial carbon reductions, but it’s important to monitor energy usage and costs over time to truly understand the benefits.”

Julian acknowledges that for many, climate change may not be a top priority, especially amid day-to-day challenges. But he remains hopeful.

“I remain optimistic think deep down if you talk to most people across the country, they will recognise that we all need to take steps to reduce our footprints and the impact of our actions, as human species on the rest of plant has been negative.

“We may not always hear those message in the media, but deep down most people know we need to do things to change our lifestyles.”

Rather than waiting for future breakthroughs, the Church is focusing on existing technologies like LED lighting, solar panels, and heat pumps.

“We’re not looking for silver bullets,” Julian explains. “Much of the technology is already there. Our goal is to use the resources we have and share what we learn widely, through case studies and open communication on our website.”

Julian draws inspiration from President John F. Kennedy’s 1962 moon speech, noting the similarities between bold ambition and practical steps. However, whereas going to the moon was a ‘choice’, he believes addressing climate change is not.

“Climate action is not a choice for us; it is an imperative. It is hard and it may even be unattainable in the short term, but that should not detract us from trying to get as far as we humanly can do.

“A step into the unknown leads to the second step and then a third step, and once you start on a journey you don’t necessarily know at the start of the journey whether you will get to your destination, but by keeping moving forwards you get closer to it.

“We are moving forward in hope in the knowledge that we will take as many steps as we can using the resources we have.

With a background in community planning, Julian brings a deep understanding of the interconnected issues at play. And while he knows the journey won’t end in 2030, he’s focused on building the capacity and expertise that will carry the Church’s mission forward.

“Net zero and climate action are still relatively new areas. We’re all learning as we go.”

For Julian he is very much focused on what he leaves behind.

“Trying to think what I leave behind is what I see for the future.”

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