The money will be used to help the world's most vulnerable nations
Scotland is doubling its financial support for the world’s poorest and more vulnerable communities in their efforts to tackle the impacts of climate change.
Starting next year, the Climate Justice Fund will increase to £6 million per year, providing £24 million across the term of the Scottish Parliament.
Scotland’s Climate Justice Fund recognises that the poor and vulnerable are the first to be affected by climate change, and will suffer the worst, yet have done little or nothing to cause the problem. Putting people at the heart of international climate action, it supports people to build more resilient and equal communities.
Net Zero secretary Michael Matheson will highlight the increase to the fund today (21 Sept) when he opens a parliamentary debate on the commitments in the Programme for Government which aim to create a Net Zero nation.
Other key commitments include:
- Playing our part to support a world-changing deal at COP26 in Glasgow
- Implementing the recommendations of the Just Transition Commission
- Investing at least £1.8 billion over this Parliament in decarbonising homes and buildings
- Investing £500 million in our natural economy
- Making offshore wind central to our delivery of net zero targets
Matheson said: “With COP26 coming to Glasgow, this is a pivotal year for making sure countries in the global south have the support they need to tackle climate change. That’s why we are doubling our financial support for some of the world’s most vulnerable nations.
“We have committed to ending our contribution to climate change within a generation and we are making great progress – Scotland is already more than half way to net zero. To play our full role in supporting the aims of the Paris Agreement, we must also be an ally to the nations most urgently impacted by climate change. By doubling our funding for those countries, we will provide much needed support for those that, while making up only a fraction of the world's emissions, are already feeling the effects severely.”
On behalf of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, Liz Murray, head of Scottish campaigns for Global Justice Now, said: “We welcome the increase to the Climate Justice Fund, however much more is needed from Scotland and all rich, historic polluting nations to truly reflect their contribution to the climate crisis.
“It's important that this money for the Climate Justice Fund is additional to any existing commitments and is raised through taxing high emitters.
“The Climate Justice Fund should increase in real terms across the course of the parliament and, of course, get to the people who need it most.
“The Scottish Government must also urgently review its plan to meet climate targets ‒ criticised by four parliamentary committees earlier this year as unrealistic ‒ and come up with a bold, transformative plan to get us on track to bringing emissions down in line with the Paris Agreement goals.
“We’ll be watching carefully to see that the Scottish Government takes these steps to show global leadership in their role as European co-chair of the Under 2 Coalition, to help mobilise increased climate action from states and regions ahead of and during the COP26 climate summit.”
