Church of Scotland's General Assembly supports reduction on carbon footprint.

The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland supported a 5% yearly reduction of carbon footprint for all churches in Scotland. Ian Galloway, convener of the Church & Society Council presented to the General Assembly a report entitled

"Engaging with Technology, Science and the Environment Climate Change"

which presented the following motions for debate:

16. Instruct Presbyteries, in association with the Church and Society Council, to produce a plan for each congregation in their bounds, setting out how they will measure energy consumption in their church buildings, ascertain their carbon footprint and achieve a year-on-year reduction of 5% of their carbon
footprint using the Eco-Congregation Scotland carbon footprint module; and instruct the Church and Society Council, in consultation with the General Trustees, to report to the General Assembly of 2010 on the implementation of this instruction.
17. Welcome the proposed incorporation of Eco-Congregation Scotland as a Charitable Company and continue to support the work of eco-congregations.
18. Affirm the current commitment of the Church and Society Council to the ‘Responding to Climate Change Project’ and instruct the Church and Society Council, in partnership with other Councils, to complete the review of this project with a view to its development.

The climate change debate threw up some interesting discussion around how ambitious the church should be about targets, with 5% perhaps not being nearly enough of a reduction. The General Assembly approved the "deliverances" therefore demonstrating its committment to engage and mobilize the population at grassroot level in the fight to reduce carbon emissions.


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