£3m climate justice fund launched to minimise impact of global warming

First Minister Alex Salmond (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A SCOTTISH climate justice fund was today launched by First Minister Alex Salmond and former Irish President Mary Robinson.

The scheme, believed to be worth £3 million over three years, is aimed at minimising the impact of global warming on the some of the world’s poorest countries.

Water projects in Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia are to benefit from the funding, Mr Salmond announced at the launch in Edinburgh today.

He said: “The huge injustice of climate change is that it is those who have done the least to cause the problem - the most vulnerable from the world’s poorest communities - who are hardest hit by it.

“That is why Scotland is committed to supporting climate justice and why we are launching Scotland’s Climate Justice Fund.”

Ms Robinson, who is President of the Mary Robinson Foundation for Climate Justice welcomed the Scottish move.

“Creating a new narrative based on climate justice, which amplifies the voices of the vulnerable, can inject the necessary urgency and ambition into the international negotiations to reach a new legally binding agreement by 2015.

“We will know that we have achieved an equitable solution when the human rights of the most vulnerable are upheld and protected.

“Scotland’s Climate Justice Fund acknowledges that those who contributed least to the causes of climate change are bearing the brunt of its impacts.”

Climate campaigners say it will help people living in some of the world’s poorest countries affected by the changing climate, such as more frequent and severe droughts and floods.

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