environment – Page 13 – The Church of England in Parliament

Church Commissioners’ Question Time, 10 March 2022

On 10th March 2022 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, answered questions from MPs in the House of Commons, freedom of religion or belief overseas, family hubs, supporting Ukrainian refugees, affordable housing, the Queen’s platinum jubilee, and the Commissioners’ Scottish landholdings.

Global Summit: Freedom of Religion or Belief

Caroline Ansell (Eastbourne) (Con): What role the Church of England has in supporting the global summit to promote freedom of religion or belief, to be hosted by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in July 2022. (905957)

The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Andrew Selous): The Church is making every effort to support that important summit to promote freedom of religion or belief. A debate was held on the lack of global religious freedom at last month’s General Synod and I am pleased that my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton (Fiona Bruce), in her capacity as the Prime Minister’s special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, was able to brief Synod members on the huge cost of following Jesus in many parts of the world.

Bishop of Leeds asks about environmental consequences of increased use of lithium ion batteries

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question about plans for disposal of lithium ion batteries as more of them come to be used in e-bikes and scooters, during a debate on safety standards on 3rd March 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, however these things are regulated, we are building up a massive resource of batteries that one day will have to be disposed of, with the environmental risks that they bring as well. What assessment have the Government made of how in the long term we will deal with what could before too long become a problem?

Bishop of St Albans asks about allocation of funds for land management schemes

On 16th December 2021, during a debate on environmental land management schemes, the Bishop of St Albans asked a question on the allocation of funds:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I declare my interest as president of the Rural Coalition. Can the Minister confirm that the funds allocated for the implementation of the Glover review are totally separate from the funds allocated for ELMS?

Bishop of Durham asks about droughts in Lesotho

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 10th December 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the droughts in Lesotho; and what steps will they take to ensure that those living there have enough water to maintain hydroelectric power.

Bishop of St Albans asks about purchasing of agricultural land for tree-planting

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 3rd December 2021:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have, if any, (1) to investigate the purchase of agricultural farmland by multinational companies for the purpose of planting trees to offset carbon emissions, and (2) to prevent agricultural farm land being purchased for such purposes.

Bishop of Exeter asks about rising sea levels on the Solomon Islands

The Bishop of Exeter received the following written answer on 25th November 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter asked Her Majesty’s Government:

what assessment they have made of rising sea levels on the Solomon Islands.
how much financial support they provided to the Solomon Islands in (1) 2016, (2) 2017, (3) 2018, (4) 2019, and (5) 2020.
what support they have offered to the Solomon Islands to mitigate risks from rising sea levels.

Bishop of Exeter makes his maiden speech in debate on climate change interventions

On 18th November 2021, the Bishop of Exeter made his maiden speech in the House of Lords during a debate on interventions to tackle climate change following the COP 26 Summit, speaking on experiences from his diocese and the wider church community:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: My Lords, arriving as Bishop of Exeter eight years ago, I have become a Devonian by adoption and grace. Although proud of my Essex roots, I now know that the only way is Devon.

As I listen to Devonshire farmers grappling with environmental land management schemes or residents in south Devon who are increasingly anxious about coastal erosion, or engage with scientists at the Met Office in Exeter, I am conscious of the urgency and immensity of the task confronting us.

In scripture, we learn that Joseph—of technicolour dreamcoat fame—interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams of times of plenty and times of famine and advised Pharaoh to prudence in managing the nation’s resources, and we know that Noah heard God’s voice warning him of a devastating flood. Today’s prophets are the scientists and environmentalists who present us with stark choices that demand action.

Bishop of Ely speaks in debate on COP26 Conference, urging commitment to tackling climate change

On 18th November 2021, the Bishop of Ely spoke in a debate following the conclusion of the COP26 conference on climate change, urging that the UK match their commitments with action on protecting the environment for future generations:

The Lord Bishop of Ely: My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Young of Old Scone, on her opening speech. To pick up on her football analogy, we will all be familiar with the football commentary, “They think it’s all over”. It was not over until the surprise and hoped for goal came. We are looking for that goal with passion, which is why we are encouraged by the passion and commitment that came through so strongly from the Minister and from Mr Sharma throughout COP 26. It has built my confidence that the momentum will not be lost, and our remaining presidency will be no less crucial for the future of this planet than the conference itself. I applaud the Minister for his work on deforestation, and I commend further work on sufficient soil improvement, both in this country and overseas, which will provide the best carbon capture.

Bishop of London asks about eco-friendly transport methods

The Bishop of London asked a question on maintenance of electric car charging points and cooperation between transport suppliers on 4th November 2021, during a debate on the abolition of temporary cycling lanes in London:

The Lord Bishop of London: The Prime Minister recently announced his desire to invest £1 billion to boost electric car usage. Given the push for cleaner and greener travel, will Her Majesty’s Government first address the number of faulty charging points for electric cars in London and, secondly, promote co-operation among suppliers, so that potential users are not dissuaded by the current requirement to download multiple apps from multiple companies?

Bishop of Bristol asks about timescale for improving consideration of environmental concerns in policy-making

On 25th October 2021, the Bishop of Bristol asked a question on consideration of nature and the environment in policy-making, during a debate on risks of climate change:

The Lord Bishop of Bristol: My Lords, following the recent Dasgupta review, then Government committed to incorporating nature into the national accounts and improving guidance for embedding environmental concerns into policy-making processes. Can the Government provide an update on the timescale for this work?

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