Climate Challenge Fund
Communities across Scotland are transforming their local environment into a greener place to live with support from the Climate Challenge Fund (CCF).
The CCF, launched by the Scottish Government with the Scottish Greens last June, has already provided support to over 120 projects led by communities wishing to reduce carbon emissions at a local level
Successful projects include schemes that reduce the use of energy in the local area, make it easier to buy sustainable food and encourage people to walk and cycle instead of using cars.
More than £27m has been put aside over three years (2008-11) to give the green light to ideas for significantly reducing carbon emissions and which also bring wider environmental, social and economic benefits to local areas.
CCF grants, up to a maximum of £1 million, are available to a wide range of organisations, including voluntary bodies, community groups, charities, and schools.
To be eligible, groups must be community-based in Scotland, legally constituted and run on a not-for-profit basis. The fund is not available to householders or private individuals.
Among the projects which have benefited from the CCF is the Edinburgh Community Backgreens Initiative (ECBI) which is helping tenants turn their backgreens from eye-sores into beautiful greenspaces.
It has secured £73,090 from the CCF to blitz backgreens by installing tool sheds, bike sheds, and raised beds to grow fruit and vegetables.
Emma Burnett, ECBI's Climate Officer, said: "Many of the tenements in Edinburgh have a backgreen which is communally owned by a number of flats. In some cases, these areas are real eye-sores as they are neglected and usually places where people will dump their rubbish.
"Our initiative aims to help tenants breathe life into these areas and turn them into beautiful green spaces which can be used as a valuable shared resource by the community.
"This includes turning green space into areas where people can grow their own fruit and vegetables which will then contribute to reducing their own carbon footprint.
"We are delighted with the response we have received so far and the strong sense of community spirit which the residents have shown in making a difference to their local area."
Development Officers from Keep Scotland Beautiful, which administers the CCF, are on hand to make the application process as easy and smooth as possible.
David Gunn, Climate Challenge Fund manager at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: "The CCF offers communities an opportunity to come up with their own creative solutions for significantly tackling carbon emissions at a local level.
"We would love to hear other ideas which groups across Scotland have as we may be able to help turn these into a reality."
So far, over £8.4 million of investment from the CCF has gone to community groups across Scotland, from Shetland to the Borders.
The CCF is part of the Scottish Government's efforts to reduce the country's carbon emissions by 80% by 2050.
If you're part of a community group with a green idea which could help reduce carbon emissions, log on to the Climate Challenge Fund website www.infoscotland.com/climatechallengefund
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