Projects focus on drought and flooding

Four Scottish charities will receive £250k each to tackle climate change.

The cash, announced at COP28 will go to Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF), Oxfam, Christian Aid and Tearfund for projects in Zambia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Pakistan.

The funding from the Scottish Government will be used to carry out various projects run by the orgnisations abroad.

SCIAF's project in Zambia will focus on infrastructure in communities which have suffered with flooding and drought.

Christian Aid will work in southern Ethiopia, which has been impacted by severe droughts.

Oxfam will use the funding to work in partnership with the ASAL Humanitarian Network and other local partners in Kenya to support communities impacted by prolonged, climate-induced drought and flash floods, as well as to reduce the risk of conflict.

Tearfund’s project will support female livestock and poultry farmers in the Punjab as well as farmers recovering from the ongoing impact of the huge floods.  Water supplies will also be rebuilt.

Net Zero Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “I am pleased to announce that four projects, in Pakistan, Zambia, Kenya and Ethiopia, have been selected to address loss and damage through Scotland’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund as part of a £1 million programme of work announced at New York Climate Week earlier this year.

“It is the first time, that we know of, that loss and damage funding has been dispersed through a humanitarian framework in this way.  

“These projects will address the disproportionate impact of climate change on women and marginalised groups, and local communities will be involved in each step of project design and delivery.  

“We hope that this will provide valuable learning and will support a growing evidence- base to inform the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and COP discussions.”