This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Support for environmentally friendly projects
16/06/2003
Seven environmental projects will receive almost £500,000
funding through the Executive's Sustainable Action Grants
scheme, which supports projects promoting sustainable
development and environmental justice.
Environment Minister Ross Finnie said:
"The Scottish Executive invited applications from national
and regional projects which put emphasis on our sustainable
development priorities of resource use, energy and travel. We
want a Scotland that delivers sustainable development, that
puts environmental concerns at the heart of public policy and
secures environmental justice for all of Scotland's
communities.
"These new projects we are supporting will help us to embed
sustainable development across Scottish life, in business, in
public authorities and in peoples' lives.
"Organisations such as Keep Scotland Beautiful are already
making an important contribution to sustainable development in
Scotland. Today's launch of their "Scottish Youth Litter
Campaign" will help to enlist the support of a new generation
in taking a more responsible attititude to Scotland's
environment. The money we are announcing today will help Keep
Scotland Beautiful and all the recipients become more effective
in meeting our commitment to a Sustainable Scotland."
60 applications were received in March and seven projects
have been approved for grant.
Details of the projects and the funding they will receive
are as follows:
Public Sector Sustainable Construction Forum:
£4,000 over three years, to take forward the exchange of
information and sustainability initiatives in public sector
construction.
Papillon Promotions:
£5,000 for one year, to support a conference and network
development promoting reusable instead of disposable
nappies.
World Wildlife Fund (WWF):
£99,000 over three years, assisting a Local
Authority Ecological Footprint project to increase
understanding about the local and global impact of consumption
and to inform decisions to reduce that impact. The aim is to
use the Ecological Footprint concept in at least two Local
Authority areas.
Aberdeen City Council:
£23,000 over two years, for a sustainable
purchasing event for purchasing managers in public and private
bodies in North-east Scotland and beyond, producing a reference
report or handbook.
British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV)
Scotland:
£120,000 over three years, to raise awareness of
biodiversity and carry out practical improvements in
disadvantaged urban areas, building on a pilot project in East
Kilbride and Nitshill.
Keep Scotland Beautiful, with the Society,
Religion and Technology Project of the Church of Scotland
:
£119,988 over three years, to build on an existing
Eco-Congregations project helping churches to learn about and
act on environmental issues, supporting two part-time project
officers. The programme already has interest from 200 churches
in Scotland.
Friends of the Earth:
£119,400 over three years, to provide
information, skills and support to communities to enable them
to get involved in planning decisions that could affect their
local environment. This project will help to deliver a key
element of the Scottish Executive's environmental justice aims
by increasing the involvement of communities in the processes
and decisions which affect the quality of the environment in
which they live.
Further projects will be considered for funding in 2004-05
and 2005-06.
The allocation of almost £500,000, is part of the £6 million
three-year Research and Sustainable Action budget for the
Environment and Rural Affairs Department, announced in the
Budget last year.
The Sustainable Action Fund was set up in 1996 to fund
sustainable development projects throughout Scotland. Projects
which have benefited from funding range from Scotland-wide
youth programmes to community-level recycling initiatives.
More than 20 projects were given funding in 2001-02,
totalling £334,000.
In 2002-03, 11 new projects were approved with further
funding of £110,000. Some of these projects will continue into
2003-04.
In February 2003 applications for the scheme were invited
from national and regional projects, which put emphasis on the
Executive's sustainable development priorities of resource use,
energy and travel. Environmental justice has been included for
the first time to meet the challenges faced by communities in
addressing local environmental issues and the burden of poor
environmental conditions.
The grants offered total £178,997 in 2003-04, £156,975 in
2004-05 and £154,416 in 2005-06.