Dr Richard Chartres

Bishop of London

Richard John Carew Chartres became the 132nd Bishop of London in November 1995.

He is the chair of the Church of England's "Shrinking the Footprint Campaign" which commits to reducing its carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. He has pledged during the debates on the Climate Change Bill in Parliament to review their targets in the light of the latest scientific evidence. As part of London Challenge 2012 the campaign is committed to shrinking the carbon footprint of the Diocese by 20.12% by 2012.

He was educated at Hertford Grammar School and studied history at Trinity College Cambridge. Before ordination he taught Ancient History at the International School in Seville.

He was ordained in 1973 and served as a curate in St Andrew's Bedford. In 1975 he was appointed Chaplain to Robert Runcie, then Bishop of St Albans, and from 1980-84 he served as the Archbishop's Chaplain at Lambeth and Canterbury.

He moved to St Stephen's Rochester Row in the Diocese of London in 1984. During eight years in the parish he also served as Director of Ordinands for the Central Area and as Gresham Professor of Divinity.

He was consecrated Bishop of Stepney in 1992.

After his move to the see of London, he was appointed Dean of HM Chapels Royal in 1996 and a Privy Counsellor. This accounts for the curious fact that the Bishop of London is the only bishop who bears the title 'Right Honourable' in addition to the usual 'Right Reverend'. He is an ex officio member of the House of Lords.

He is an Honorary Bencher of the Middle Temple, Chairman of the Ecumenical "London Church Leaders", a director of Coexist Foundation - a charity promoting interfaith understanding - and is associated with numerous other London organisations.

He is also Chairman of the Church Buildings Division of the Church of England and deputises for the Archbishop of Canterbury as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Church Commissioners. He is also responsible on behalf of the Archbishop for relations with the Orthodox Churches.

He founded St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace and is currently the Chairman of the Trustees. His publications include "The History of Gresham College 1597-1997" (with David Vermont) and "Tree of Knowledge, Tree of Life" [2005] and many articles and essays especially on religion and the environment.

He is married to Caroline, a freelance writer, and they have four children - Alexander, Sophie, Louis and Clio.