Climate change cash boost for communities

The project will put carbon savings at the forefront of delivering innovation in reuse and retailing and transform items that would otherwise be condemned to landfill.

Social enterprise Re-Union Canal Boats is getting £62,215 to run activities on and off water to offer educaton on the impacts of climate change and ways to reduce local carbon emisions.

Activities delivered through the Re-Cycling with Re-Union Canal Boats project include extensive canal clean-ups with a focus on recycling items recovered, plus a cycle lending and training scheme.

More than 100 organisations across Scotland are to benefit from almost the funding which was announced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon earlier this week.

The First Minister 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.”

Derek Robertson, chief executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful said: “Climate change impacts all of us and we need collective action to tackle it. We were delighted to have supported so many communities from across Scotland in applying for the Climate Challenge Fund.

“We have managed the Climate Challenge Fund on behalf of the Scottish Government since it was established in 2008 and are committed to empowering many more communities across Scotland to take action on climate change. Our vision is to make Scotland clean, green and more sustainable.”