The Diocese of Leicester is a community of more than 18,000 Christians who worship in church buildings, houses, and schools, as well as in community and outdoor spaces. There are over 320 churches, 234 parishes, almost 100 schools and academy trusts, and a rapidly growing number of fresh expressions of Church. It is a rural diocese with urban heartlands.
Within the Christian faith, there is a strong connection with good stewardship of the Earth. In February 2020 the General Synod set a 2030 Net Zero carbon target (1). For the Church of England to achieve this, it will require Dioceses to embed sustainable practices within all its activities.
This project was commissioned to help assess current carbon emissions from Diocese related transport, and guide future behaviours to help reduce those.
Project objectives
- Assess transport-related carbon emissions (Scope 3) across the Diocese.
- Create a practical and tailored Travel Plan Framework.
- Support the Diocese’s 2030 Net Zero carbon target.
- Provide tools and resources to encourage sustainable travel behaviours.
- Deliver guidance and build stakeholder understanding through workshops and resources.
Solutions
Solutions delivered
N/A
GO Travel Solutions applied its expertise in sustainable travel planning, alongside knowledge of transport operators, transport authorities and wider stakeholders, to deliver a bespoke set of tools and recommendations:
- Produced a Travel Plan Framework to help embed sustainable travel behaviours for those that work for the Diocese.
- Estimated Scope 3 transport emissions related to Diocese employee commuting, establishing a baseline for future tracking.
- Developed a Sustainable Travel Toolkit, offering practical guidance, best practices, and links to further support.
- Delivered virtual workshops to explain and discuss how the suggested initiatives could be used to help guide positive travel behaviour change.
- Supported the Diocese in taking measurable steps toward reducing the reliance on the most polluting forms of transport and help achieve the 2030 Net Zero target.
Impact & outcomes
- First steps taken toward achieving the 2030 Net Zero carbon target.
- Created a baseline for Diocese transport emissions for ongoing measurement.
- Improved awareness and knowledge within the Diocese of practical sustainable transport solutions.
- Enhanced engagement across the Diocese through tailored workshops and resources.
- Established a foundation for future travel behaviour change initiatives.
The workshops led by GO Travel Solutions provided just the right balance of background information about the impact of travel upon environmental sustainability together with practical ideas for changing travel patterns relevant for members of local churches.
Next steps?
