THE JOURNEY TO ‘net-zero’

Edward

Our dependence on fossil fuels has changed the climate in ways that are causing suffering to most forms of life. Unquestionably, fossil fuels have also transformed the way we live and brought great benefit, but with the knowledge we now have of the damage caused, especially to the most vulnerable, the need to move to cleaner sources of energy is also unquestionable.

The Jesuits have their own part to play. I’m writing from a well-lit, heated office, with my phone and laptop plugged in. I’m in one of the many buildings that the Jesuits in Britain own or operate, all of them using energy, buying and disposing of various items, with staff and visitors travelling from different locations, and my pension pot is invested in different funds –all of these have an impact.

A rough estimate of the carbon footprint of the UK Catholic dioceses is a million tonnes a year, approximately that of Eritrea. This estimate does not even include religious orders. Several dioceses have already set ‘net-zero’ or similar carbon targets, but setting a realistic target and knowing whether we are making progress towards achieving it means understanding where we are starting from.

For the Jesuits in Britain this means gathering data from properties up and down the country, plus investment portfolios. Because of the interlinked nature of the Church and the complexity of supply chains, it can be difficult to know what you are responsible for reporting. A small team in the Province has enlisted a carbon consultancy to help crunch numbers and make sure we are monitoring the correct things.

A carbon footprint measures the total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by a person, organisation, product or event. There are three ‘scopes’. Scope 1 covers direct emissions, such as fuel burning on site or in transport, or gas emissions. Scope 2 covers indirect emissions, such as from energy bought rather than directly generated. Scope 3 covers all other indirect emissions up and down the supply chain as well as customer and staff travel.

Most data for scopes 1 and 2 is already available, as many of our buildings use a green energy contract that covers the Catholic dioceses in England and Wales. Scope 3 is more difficult to measure, as this includes things like supplier lists, business and commuting travel, and investments, not all of which are systematically recorded. So not only does this require a lot of data compilation, it means putting into place new ways of reporting in order to make this process easier year on year.

Scope 3 is usually where most emissions are located. It will take a few years to get the data collection processes right, but already travel surveys have been sent out to all Jesuit works and the process of coding spending differently has begun. Some data just isn’t available yet, such as the carbon intensity of certain property investments, so assumptions will have to be made while the industry catches up.

When the data is all in and we have our carbon footprint, we can look at a ‘net-zero’ target date, and how to get there in a cost-effective manner. We can also review lifestyle issues such as transport, diet, and how we buy and dispose of things. Individually we may not feel like we are making a difference, but small efforts multiplied across the Province will have an impact, and perhaps encourage more political engagement.

Measurement does not mean action, and there is a lot that can be and has been done before we have the data. The Province divested from fossil fuel companies in 2020, and many province buildings are making energy saving improvements. Jesuit Missions has been keeping climate change on its agenda too, with a lot of activity around COP26 and 27, and engagement with Jesuit schools. The Laudato Si’ Research Institute at Campion Hall is also partnering with the Guardians of Creation project to help dioceses to reach their carbon targets.

The fourth Universal Apostolic Preference of the Jesuits is ‘Caring for our Common Home’. We have a way to go, but, we are making a lot of progress.