The UCC General Council has long acknowledged that the global climate crisis poses a grave threat to our planet and must be tackled urgently. To be a truly credible and inspiring climate change leader, we are putting our own house in order.  

The united church is committed to reduce its carbon emissions by 80% by 2030. 

In 2016 the UCC General Council commissioned Caring for Creation, Our Communities and Our Congregations: The Case for a National Carbon Reduction Program for Faith Buildings. Faithful Footprints’ 5-year plan is the beginning of implementing those learnings, to move the UCC into a leadership position in building energy efficiency and climate action.

The energy used to light and heat UCC faith buildings is one of the UCC’s largest carbon contributors – and also one of its biggest expenses. This is where we will focus our efforts.

Faithful Footprints program highlights include:

1. A public commitment announcement of 80% reduction by 2050 to launch the program and invite participation, during the GC43 in July 2018.

2. A public goal of engaging 500 United Church congregations in the program by 2025.

3. Establishing a national grant program for reducing financial barriers to building efficiency work.

4. A five-year staged implementation, building regional partnerships with congregations and local organizations. (2019-2020: regional support hubs piloted in Atlantic Canada and Prairies; 2021 - 2023: regional support hubs expanded nation-wide)

5. Providing regional input into a United Church National Climate Action Advisory Circle, to advise on the high-level vision, track project progress, and ensure smooth coordination with and input into various areas of the UCC’s climate related work.

6. Regular reporting (including national sustainability reports) to track progress, amplify the stories of congregations, uncover barriers and connect the dots with other UCC Creation Care actions.

About Faith & the Common Good