Sunday, January 25, 2026

Church of England plans sweeping crackdown on flowers to hit net zero target

The Church of England is set to debate how to reduce its carbon footprint with flowers as part of its efforts to hit net zero targets.

Proposals will be discussed to minimise the environmental impact of wedding decorations and wreaths, including banning the import of flowers and discontinuing the use of floral foam containing microplastics.

Officials hope they will enable the Church to "use the beauty in creation to glorify God without harming creation along the way" and achieve its net zero emissions target by the end of the decade.

Plans will be formally allotted time at the Church of England's legislative body, General Synod, next month.

They are being pushed forward by the Bishop of Dudley, the Rt Rev Martin Gorick.

The bishop suggested churches could work alongside local growers and farmers' markets to have a "smaller carbon footprint".

The bishop, who is a patron of the Sustainable Church Flowers campaign group, said: "Flowers have long held a cherished place in church life. From adorning altars to celebrating weddings and marking seasonal festivals, floral arrangements bring beauty, symbolism, and a sense of reverence to sacred spaces.

"Yet, behind their elegance lies an often-overlooked reality: traditional floristry can carry significant environmental costs.

The bishop suggested churches could work alongside local growers and farmers' markets to have a "smaller carbon footprint".

"Imported blooms, single-use plastics, chemical preservatives and non-compostable floral foam all contribute to waste and carbon emissions.

"As awareness of ecological responsibility grows, many congregations are asking an important question: how can we honour tradition while caring for creation?"

Synod first suggested the issue of sustainable flowers in 2022, surrounding calls to ban non-biodegradable floral foam.

Floral foam is incredibly hard to dispose of, with microparticles of green dust released when handling it.