At the conclusion of the latest round of global climate change negotiations – the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil – many across the world are reflecting on the scale of action needed to prevent the worst excesses of climate change, support those most affected and maintain a liveable climate for future generations.
Over recent decades, Christians in Australia and beyond have expressed their convictions that they are called to care for creation and that addressing justice implications of climate change is a moral responsibility.
A new report published by NCLS Research and sponsored by Common Grace draws on the latest data available from the National Church Life Survey (NCLS) and the Australian Community Survey to better understand climate-related views and actions in the Australian churches as a whole. It synthesises a picture of attitudes and actions of Australian churchgoers, church leaders and local churches, how they have changed, and how these views and actions vary.
This research shows small increases in various measures of concern about climate change among church attenders and leaders from 2011 to 2021, but that this was not consistently matched by personal action. Recycling and installation of solar panels or solar hot water increased, but other personal pro-environmental behaviours remained static or declined a little. On the other hand, church-level action such as including environmental concerns in worship and solar panel installations on church buildings increased.
Attenders’ and leaders’ attitudes related to level of formal education, politics, views about environmental responsibilities, and denomination. Those who viewed earth care as an essential part of the Church’s mission were particularly likely to engage.
Attenders’ attitudes and actions were broadly similar to the wider Australian population.
The denominational patterns observed across attenders, leaders and local churches were consistent with those found in previous waves of the NCLS. While there were exceptions for some household and church actions (including the installation of solar panels), the strongest pro-environmental stances or activities tended to be in Mainstream Protestant churches or the Catholic Church, and the weakest in Pentecostal churches.
As the window to avert the worst impacts of a heating planet narrows, churches and those who work with them face a challenge to expand and deepen climate-related engagement.
Read the report: Climate-related views and actions in the Australian Church.
This report draws on the latest data available from the National Church Life Survey and the Australian Community Survey to better understand climate-related views and actions in the Australian churches. It synthesises a picture of attitudes and actions of Australian churchgoers, church leaders and local churches, how they have changed, and how these views and actions vary.
This report is provided for free, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Common Grace.
Citation: Pepper, M. (2025). Climate-related views and actions in the Australian Church. NCLS Research Report 72. Sydney: NCLS Research.
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