Tackling climate change

More than 70,000 people in developing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa now have access to clean, safe drinking water thanks to funding aimed at tackling the effects of climate change. 

Since 2012, the Scottish Government Climate Justice Fund investment in projects in Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania and Rwanda has also:

• Provided 110,000 people with training in climate change and water rights issues
• Established 217 village-level committees to support water resource management and resilience
• Improved agricultural practices and irrigation services for more than 11,000 people which has helped to increase crop
• Planted more than 122,000 trees
• Provided sources of alternative income to over 1,000 people in Malawi – including livestock-rearing, fish farming and honey production.

Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham highlighted the Scottish Government’s commitment to invest £3 million annually in the fund over the next five years at the UN Climate Change Conference in Marrakech. This investment comes on top of £6 million to support the fund between 2012 and 2016.  She said:

“It’s unacceptable that the damaging effects of climate change are being felt in developing nations. With increasingly unpredictable weather leading to more frequent floods and droughts wiping out harvests, people have been left struggling to feed their families. 

“I am proud to say that our efforts through Scotland’s innovative Climate Justice Fund are helping vulnerable communities tackle the challenge of climate change. The concept of climate justice, which links human rights and development, provides a new and progressive policy platform for a sustainable climate agenda.

“Our investment under the Climate Justice Fund has provided thousands of people with training and an awareness of climate change issues and its unpredictability, and it’s given people the chance to improve their lives by learning new skills to produce more and better quality crop. 

“A key part of my work at the UN Climate Change Conference, will be spreading the message that we all have a responsibility to help less developed countries cope with the huge climate challenges ahead. Scotland is a progressive country with ambitious climate change targets, and as a good global citizen we want to play our part tackling the challenges of climate change. We are also keen to work with other countries in this vital global effort.”

Lynne Paterson, Tearfund Scotland Director said:

"In our work with some of the poorest and most vulnerable people around the world, we see that climate change is disproportionately having an adverse effect on those who have done the very least to cause it.

“We view this as an issue of justice, and one which we believe is rightly at the heart of the Scottish Government's response. Thanks to the Climate Justice Fund, Tearfund Scotland has been able to work through our partner organisations to equip tens of thousands of individuals to adapt to the effects of climate change, and tens of thousands more to access clean and safe water.

“This work is saving lives and restoring hope where it is needed most. We commend the Scottish Government's commitment to climate justice, and support any moves that strengthen our resolve to tackle climate change and realise the responsibility we have as good global neighbours."

Background

More information about the Climate Justice Fund is available at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/International/int-dev/climatejustice

The Cabinet Secretary will attend the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s 22nd Convention of the Parties in Marrakech from November 13 – 15.

Last month the First Minister announced £1 million from the Scottish Government’s Climate Justice Fund to the United Nations Framework Convention which will help developing countries better measure and track climate change.