The Church of England’s Energy Footprint Tool (EFT) – part of the Parish Returns system – enables each parish to calculate its annual carbon footprint based on its energy usage. Completing the EFT is one of the most important practical steps your church can take on its decarbonisation journey.

The data collected helps us understand carbon emissions across the diocese, may unlock eligibility for grants, and contributes to the Eco Church survey criteria. In 2024, 2025 and 2026, every parish in the Diocese of Portsmouth completed the EFT – a remarkable achievement.

What the data tells us

Our EFT data reveals the make-up of heating sources across the diocese: half of all church buildings are heated by gas, producing 40% of church building carbon emissions. Oil heating is used in 16% of buildings but contributes 50% of emissions. Electricity accounts for a third of buildings but only 10% of emissions. Moving away from fossil fuel-based heating systems will significantly reduce the carbon our buildings produce.

Across the whole diocese, church buildings make up 46% of our total carbon emissions, with housing at 26%, schools at 20%, and travel making up the rest.

Bishop Jonathan writes:

“Recent global climate events speak more eloquently than I ever could about the need for us to unite and play our part in protecting God’s creation. Completing the Energy Footprint Tool for your parish is an important step you can take. As well as helping us care for the environment, the data you collect will help you better understand your energy use, which can inform your decarbonisation plans and may make you eligible for carbon-reducing grants.

“Every parish has a responsibility to fill in the EFT. It doesn’t really matter who it is – the PCC Treasurer, Churchwarden, or Administrator – as long as one person is assigned the responsibility of gathering the data and submitting the entry.”

How to complete the EFT

You will need your utility bills for the previous year: electricity, gas, oil, or whichever fuel you use. If you have solar panels, you will also need information on their generation over the same period. If you want to include a separate church hall or other building, include its bills too.

Once you have entered all your data, you will immediately receive a report showing:

• your church’s carbon footprint in CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent)
• a simple assessment of your buildings’ efficiency, in graphical form

The EFT opens on January 1st 2027 and will close on June 30th 2027. Access it via the online Parish Returns system.