London, Aug 3 (IANS): More than 5,500 churches including some of the UK's most famous cathedrals have converted to renewable power to help tackle climate change, the media reported on Friday.

The Church of England, along with Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Quaker and Salvation Army congregations have made the switch to 100 per cent renewable electricity, and faith leaders are urging more to follow suit, reports the Guardian.

Fifteen Anglican cathedrals including Salisbury, Southwark, St Albans, Liverpool, Coventry and York Minster are among the buildings signed up to green electricity tariffs.

Church leaders said climate change was "one of the great moral challenges of our time" and hurt the poor first and worst.

British churches have diverted more than 5 million pounds from fossil fuels to clean energy providers, it is estimated.

Nicholas Holtam, the bishop of Salisbury and the Church of England's lead bishop on the environment, said: "It's fantastic to see churches doing their bit to ensure they reduce their impact on the environment. They are also giving a boost to clean energy, which is essential to reduce harmful carbon emissions.

"Climate change is an enormous injustice and is hurting the poor first and worst. Switching to responsible sources of electricity may seem like a small thing on its own, but when joined together it can make a real difference."

Rowan Williams, the former archbishop of Canterbury, urged the government to set a target to cut UK emissions to zero by 2050 to ensure Britain "remains a green and pleasant land at home and a climate leader abroad".