Greener milestone for Scotland
3 Nov 2014 11:15 AM
Kelpies celebration at 500th carbon cutting community.
A groundswell of activity to make Scotland a greener, more environmentally conscious place has reached a major milestone.
While visiting the Kelpies, Minister for Environment and Climate Change Paul Wheelhouse has confirmed the 500th community group to receive an award from the Scottish Government’s Climate Challenge Fund. Thanks to the funding, the local Communities Along the Carron Association (CATCA) will run the innovative CREATES project to cut carbon emissions in the area with more cycle journeys and a sustainable food initiative in local schools, which the whole community can benefit from.
This project is among 21 to share nearly £2 million being distributed in the latest round of Climate Challenge Fund awards, with initiatives in 11 local authority areas around Scotland gaining support.
Mr Wheelhouse said:
“As the evidence presented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change shows, climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing mankind and the environment on which we depend. It is a challenge for the entire global community, and it requires urgent attention at local, national and international level. Given the importance of action at the local level, I am delighted that more than 500 communities across Scotland have now elected to take voluntary action to address the impacts and causes of climate change within their local areas. This demonstrates an impressive strength and commitment to tackle climate change at a community level, because it is real and because it matters to ordinary people.
“Next year, a new global treaty on climate change will be signed in Paris. By the actions and commitments of over 500 communities, supporting our world leading ambitions at a national level, we are sending the most compelling statement to the global community in the build-up to Paris in just over 12 months’ time that the people of Scotland are committed to tackling climate change.
“The Climate Challenge Fund was set up in 2008 to encourage community action on emissions but the benefits are much wider, including improving health and well-being by encouraging active travel and boosting community facilities. The CCF also helps reduce domestic fuel costs.
“CATCA CREATES is a fantastic project and is a very worthy 500th recipient of Climate Challenge funding. I look forward to seeing the project succeed and to seeing the undoubtedly positive impact it will have for children and adults alike in the Larbert and Stenhousemuir community. The area is on the doorstep of The Kelpies landmark where it is perhaps only fitting we meet to celebrate Scotland’s landmark achievement.”
Christine Bell, Project Officer at CATCA said:
“Being the 500th community to be awarded a Climate Challenge Fund grant is an honour and we look forward to working with the local community to help people travel more sustainably and grow food locally.
“Our partnership with Sustrans Scotland will include activities to help local schools and businesses swap car journeys for those by cycle and foot, reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality and creating safer streets.
“We are also excited to be creating community growing spaces in school grounds which will enable us to nurture the next generation of guardians for our environment as well as reducing carbon emissions.”
Derek Robertson,Chief Executive at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said:
“Keep Scotland Beautiful is very proud to have supported community action on climate change in over 500 communities through our management and development of the Climate Challenge Fund on behalf of the Scottish Government and see it as part of our work to help make Scotland clean and green, today and tomorrow.”Notes To Editors
This is the 19th round of awards to be made from the Climate Challenge Fund (CCF), in which 21 projects are sharing £1.99 million. For details on all 21 of the CCF projects awarded funding in this round, please visit
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/climatechange/howyoucanhelp/communities/ClimateChallengeFund/projects/CCF19
The Climate Challenge Fund (CCF) is a Scottish Government programme, managed and developed by Keep Scotland Beautiful, which provides funding for community groups that are tackling climate change through local community-led projects. Further details from www.climatechallengefund.org
£61.4m has been distributed to 696 projects in 512 Scottish communities since 2008.
Keep Scotland Beautiful enables action on sustainable development, by helping organisations and communities reduce their carbon emissions and environmental impact so that Scotland plays its part in meeting the challenges of climate change; it is part of its work to help make Scotland clean and green, today and tomorrow. Further details from www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org
CATCA CREATES is the 7th project to be funded through the innovative Climate Challenge Fund Ideas Bank, which contains project ideas proposed by organisations that need a community partner with whom to apply for grant and take them forward. The initiative is receiving £146,112.19 from the CCF to work in partnership with Sustrans Scotland. It will work with schools and businesses in Larbert and Stenhousemuir to encourage lower carbon travel by bike through cycle training, route planning and maintenance workshops. Further reductions in carbon emissions will result as the project promotes local, sustainable food and community growing space is created in school grounds.
The Scottish Government’s Greener Together campaign demonstrates that every greener effort does make a difference, and encourages people to recognise greener living benefits for themselves, their families and Scotland as a whole. For more information visit www.Greenerscotland.org
SG Communications