£10m local action fund to tackle climate change

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced almost £10 million of funding to support local organisations across Scotland to tackle climate change.

The Climate Challenge Fund makes £9.97 million available in 2017-18, and is a combination of £9.09 million from the Scottish government and £0.88 million from the European Regional Development Fund. Since 2008, when the fund was launched, 986 awards have been made totalling £85.8 million.

Sturgeon said: “Scotland is making huge progress in delivering our climate change ambitions, but there is still much to achieve and the role of behaviour change and community action is crucial.

“The Climate Challenge Fund supports community projects that inspire people to care about the problem of climate change, consider what it might mean to them in terms of their everyday lives and enable them to take action.”

Iain Gulland, chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said: “Scotland’s ambitions for a circular economy, where we make things last for longer, go hand-in-hand with its world-leading commitments to tackling climate change. Thanks to extra investment from the European Regional Development Fund we’re now able to help more communities across Scotland take action locally to benefit Scotland’s environment. We look forward to working with the successful organisations to make a real difference to their communities.”

Sturgeon made the announcement at R:evolve Recycle – a clothing swap shop with the aim of reducing textile waste. The organisation is a current recipient of the fund and has now been awarded a further £143,416.

She added: “R:evolve Recycle is an excellent example of this approach. They work with people spanning the whole community – from school children to elderly community residents.”