Communities want to take more action to help the planet
Communities in Scotland are worried about the impact of climate change, a new study has shown.
Research out this week from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK, shows that 56% of people in Scotland are worried about how climate change will affect their local community, as Glasgow prepares to host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference - COP26.
Across the country, nearly half of respondents (44%) say the Covid-19 pandemic has made the importance of addressing climate change personally more important to them. Three in four (74%) say they are recycling more, over half (56%) are using energy-efficient appliances and lighting at home and over half (52%) have insulated their homes.
When asked who is responsible for tackling climate change, eight in 10 people in Scotland (82%) said local communities, while two in five (51%) say they are either currently taking part in community-led climate action, or they plan to, or will consider doing so in the future.
One Scottish project that is already supporting local communities to take climate action thanks to National Lottery funding is The Food and Climate Action project led by Glasgow Community Food Network in partnership with Urban Roots, Glasgow Eco Trust, The Space, St Paul’s Youth Forum and Central & West Integration Network.
With an award of £629,582 from The National Lottery Community Fund’s Climate Action Fund it is aimed at growing Glasgow's response to the climate emergency through supporting a more resilient food system. Project activity includes food education workshops, events tied to COP26, and establishing local food forums with onward grants for smaller community groups available.
Eleanor Dillon, project manager, said: “Thanks to our funding from the National Lottery, our project has been able to take steps to respond to community concerns in Glasgow about the climate emergency and our food system. We're gearing up for COP26 coming to town and have a range of events, online and in person, open to everyone. Check out https://glasgowfood.net/projects/food-climate-action for details.”
Nick Gardner, head of climate action at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “Climate change will impact everyone, and this research shows people are worried. But there are many ways people and communities across Scotland can take action, as demonstrated by the Glasgow Community Food Network and the great work they and partners are doing thanks to National Lottery players.
“Communities across the UK have an important role to play in supporting the UK to get to its Net Zero target, and by taking climate action we are not only making significant environmental improvements, but are also helping people and communities prosper and thrive.”
To find out more on the National Lottery Community Fund, visit the website.
