The Hope Cathedral – an environmentally sustainable project.

In communicating our aims and vision, we at the Hope Cathedral have actively made use of UN Sustainable Development Goals nr. 14 (Life below water), nr. 15 (Life on land) and nr. 17 (Partnerships). We have chosen to frame the project in terms of the Sustainable Development Goals because they highlight the importance of common aims for dealing with challenges the world faces. In working for sustainable development, all contributions are important, including this project in Fredrikstad. The Hope Cathedral is an example of how social, economic and environmental sustainability can form a framework for what we seek to achieve.

Social sustainability

Our main objective is to build the Hope Cathedral together out of love for the ocean. Cooperation is vital in working for sustainable development, so it is our goal to involve and invite as broadly as possible, both in building and using the cathedral. The project is multifaith, meaning that everyone, regardless of faith, is welcome to take part. So far, we have enjoyed the participation of such various groups as school children, language students, pensioners, immigrant youth and many more. We think a sense of accomplishment is key and an experience of the strength that lies is community. Our promise to everyone who contributes at whatever level in the project is that YOUR effort makes a difference and YOU can build hope.

Economic sustainability

The Hope Cathedral is also an innovative project. The cathedral itself showcases how marine plastic can be utilised as raw material for new products. This is innovative process, carried out in cooperation with the local plastics industry in the Lower Glomma area, specifically Re-Turn and Biobe, involved testing how recycled plastic from fish boxes taken from the shoreline can function as roofing tiles for a 300 m2 roof. This cooperation was crucial for us and of interest for the plastics industry. Who knows what marine plastic might mean for the commodity market of the future?

Environmental sustainability

The Hope Cathedral focuses on one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time, namely the pollution of our oceans. Stopping the supply of plastic to the ocean is of primary importance. Then there is the need to develop methods and tools to tackle the problem we humans have created. The issue of marine pollution has aroused massive interest in Norway, both on an individual and a societal level. Norway played a key role when the UN Environmental Assembly proposed and adopted a zero vision for emissions of plastic and microplastic in 2017. Norway has taken the lead in cooperating with other countries in how this vision can be achieved. The government has also agreed to establish a NOK 150-million aid programme to combat marine pollution and microplastic in developing countries. Our aim is that the Hope Cathedral will help create hope and a commitment to make a difference to marine pollution.