Gloucester’s green Cathedral drives down carbon footprint

Gloucester Cathedral has unveiled a new electric vehicle as part of its commitment to reaching carbon net zero by 2030. The Vauxhall Vivaro-e will be used by the Cathedral’s maintenance and stonemasons teams to support upkeep of the historic site.

The latest in a series of green initiatives, it coincides with the fifth anniversary of the Cathedral’s solar panels. Installed in November 2016 with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the array consists of 150 panels and produces over 25 percent of the building’s energy. As the oldest cathedral in the world to take this step, the project was included as a case study in a recent report published by heritage coalition Historic Environment Forum. The report, released ahead of COP26, showcases how UK heritage sites can deliver climate change solutions.

Other steps taken by the Cathedral include improving environmental performance as a place of worship and key tourist destination, achieving Eco Church Bronze and Green Tourism Silver awards.

As chair of the City Centre Commission, the Very Reverend Stephen Lake, Dean of Gloucester has ensured that the initial focus is on the climate emergency, convening key stakeholders to agree how all members can contribute.

Dean Stephen said: “Caring for our planet is one of the five marks of mission and is a fundamental part of our Christian life. We have placed environmental sustainability at the heart of the Cathedral’s business planning, and whilst there is still a long way to go, we are proud to be playing our part in the Church of England’s goals to reach net zero by 2030.”