CIDSE’s Scottish member organisation SCIAF, were delighted to attend the launch of Scotland’s Climate Justice Fund yesterday after playing their part in a campaign to reach this historic moment for climate justice and Scotland.
Scotland’s Climate Justice Fund of £3million was launched yesterday by First Minister Alex Salmond and will be dedicated to helping people living in developing countries to adapt to the difficult conditions created by climate change. The launch was supported and attended by former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson.
The fund will be promoted during Rio+20 summit in June as a shining beacon of how developed countries can stand up and be counted, facing their historic responsibilities for climate change head on and seeking to deal with the negative impact on those living in the developing world.
Philippa Bonella, Head of Communications and Education at SCIAF, said:
“International aid agencies like SCIAF are already working with poor communities devastated by the onset of climate change.
“Dealing with climate change is fundamentally a matter of justice. Thousands of SCIAF supporters have called for a climate fund, and we’re delighted that the Scottish Government is responding with today’s announcement.
“The Climate Justice Fund recognises our historic responsibility for creating climate change and our moral responsibility to deal with the consequences. It is an example we hope countries around the world will follow.”
SCIAF thanks everybody who took part in the climate justice campaign. We are members of the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland coalition, which brings together over 60 campaigning groups calling for action to tackle climate change.
Tom Ballantine, Chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, said:
“Tackling climate change is an issue of justice, so it’s right that the Scottish Government recognises that it owes a “climate debt” to the world’s poorest people, who are most affected but the least responsible for the impact on the global environment.
“In 2009, Scotland set an example with our world-leading climate change legislation. This new fund shows that Scotland continues to champion climate justice.”
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) recognises the need for the developed world to support developing countries in dealing with the impact of climate change through climate adaptation funding. Scotland has been at the forefront of climate justice for several years with momentous decisions like the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.
The act is the strongest climate change legislation in the world. It makes a commitment to reduce our emissions by 42% by 2020 and 80% by 2050, when compared to 1990 levels. The fund only serves to reiterate our nation’s commitment to climate justice.
You can see our pictures from yesterday, Philippa Bonella and Cardinal Keith O’Brien in a special video which accompanied the launch yesterday below and download case studies on Malawi, Haiti and Cambodia here.