Robinson and Salmond Launch Climate Justice Fund

Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, today joined First Minister Alex Salmond, to launch Scotland’s Climate Justice Fund and called for other countries to share Scotland’s ambition on climate change – by both reducing their carbon emissions and implementing climate justice.
Climate justice is a response to the injustice that the world’s poorest communities, who have done least to cause climate change, are bearing the brunt of its impact, due to increasingly erratic weather patterns and more climate-related disasters such as floods and droughts.

The Scottish Government is providing £3 million for the fund – one million per year for the next three years - which will support water projects in Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia – increasing communities’ resilience to the impacts of climate change.

At today’s launch, a short film was released highlighting support for climate justice from across Scottish society. It included endorsements from: SCIAF, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, Oxfam Scotland, Amnesty International, Christian Aid, Cardinal Keith O’Brian, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Glasgow Caledonian University, Scottish Power Renewables, Islamic Relief, the Scottish Human Rights Commission, the STUC, Friends of the Earth Scotland and WWF Scotland.
The fund is also supported by the 2020 Climate Group, and the Network of International Development Organisations of Scotland (NIDOS), and has attracted cross-party support from the Scottish Parliament.

First Minister Alex Salmond 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.

“In launching this fund we are all too aware that one country cannot win the battle against climate change alone. Collective action is not an option but an imperative, and we need to ensure our actions and our message inspires others to act.

"Mary Robinson’s support is testament to the key international role Scotland is playing in delivering climate justice. Scotland is providing strong leadership – sending a clear message to other industrialised nations that urgent action is needed and calling on them to share Scotland’s ambition on climate justice.“

Mary Robinson, President of the Mary Robinson Foundation for Climate Justice said:

“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. To address this injustice, Scotland is delivering on commitments to build resilience of the world’s poorest communities to the impacts of climate change. Importantly, delivering these commitments builds trust between developed and developing countries who need to work together to solve the problem of climate change.”

Speaking in support of action on climate justice, Professor Alan Miller, Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission said:

“We welcome the launch of the Climate Justice Fund today. There must be broad recognition that the people who have contributed the least to climate change are suffering the most through extreme weather, desertification, crop failures, water shortages and newly spreading diseases – this situation violates their human rights and simply cannot continue.”

Ian Marchant, Chair of 2020 Climate Group said:

"The 2020 Climate Group warmly welcomes the Scottish Government's climate justice fund. Dealing with climate change is fundamentally a matter of justice. The Climate Justice Fund recognises our moral responsibility to show leadership and support those countries in the global South that are suffering from the impacts of climate change. Scotland already has world leading climate change legislation, this is a great next step towards ensuring that Scotland is a key player in tackling climate change."

Gillian Wilson, Chief Executive of the Network of International Development Organisations of Scotland, said:

“NIDOS warmly welcomes the announcement of the Climate Justice Fund which shows the Scottish Government’s recognition of our ’climate debt’ to poorer countries. Many communities in these countries are already facing crop failure, dwindling water sources and increased disease incidence due to climate change. We hope the Fund will grow and welcome that the funds are in addition to the Scottish Government’s International Development Funds, given the still vital need to improve access to quality education, health services and enterprise development in these countries.”

Mr Salmond also announced that Scotland’s Environment Minister, Stewart Stevenson will attend the United Nation Summit in Rio next month, and will champion climate justice in support of Mary Robinson and developing country governments. Scotland’s involvement has been welcomed by leading environmental organisations.

Commenting Dr Richard Dixon, Director of WWF Scotland said:

“It is only because of the original Rio conference that we have international action on climate, forests and nature, so Rio+20 is a vital opportunity to see what has been achieved and agree to do more. It is only right for Scotland to have an official seat at Rio+20 because the Scottish Parliament unanimously agreed the strongest climate laws anywhere in the world. I'm sure Stewart Stevenson will use every opportunity at the Rio conference to promote Scotland's world-leading example."

Machrihanish Community Flying High

A long awaited community buyout of the former RAF Machrihanish air base was confirmed today

The Machrihanish Airbase Community Company (MACC) has purchased the former RAF base. This is the culmination of the largest and most complicated community buyout under current Scottish land reform legislation, which has been completed with support and financial assistance from the Scottish Government, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Water and the Ministry of Defence.

Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson visited the site today and met with senior members of MACC as well as other members of the board. He was given a tour of the site and heard about future plans.

Benefits of the buyout include:

• £1.7 million investment in local infrastructure
• £300,000 to address issues relating to the condition of the base (e.g. road maintenance) and other costs
• 137 former MoD houses and commercial properties connected to water supply for the first time
• Upgrade of the private sewage system and electrical infrastructure
• MACC future plans for the site include commercial and industrial use – renewable energy and biomass plans – as well as residential and recreational purposes

Mr Stevenson said:

“Land ownership is key to building independent, resilient rural communities and creating a sense of confidence and community empowerment. That’s why the Scottish Government fully support buyouts and are committed to providing opportunities for rural communities to acquire land.

“The MACC buyout will benefit both the local community and businesses.  Benefits will include improvements to the water, sewage and electrical infrastructure at the site.

“The transfer would not have been achieved without the commitment of members the Machrihanish Airbase Community Company.  They were quick to see the benefits that community ownership could bring, ensured the community supported their vision and have worked tirelessly to deliver the base into community ownership.”

Enterprise Minister Fergus Ewing said:

"Flourishing communities are essential to building sustainable economic growth for Scotland and The Scottish Government has supported the Machrihanish Community throughout the buyout process and will continue to do so.

"There is potential now for Machrihanish to reap the benefits of the expansion of the renewables industry in Scotland and build growth in the tourism and leisure sectors and this will benefit Kintyre as a whole.

"Highlands and Islands Enterprise will remain on hand to offer their expertise and I know that the local community will grasp every opportunity that comes their way."

MACC Chairman Ian Wardrop said:

"It has been a long road but all the hard work has finally paid off. I would like to acknowledge the tremendous support we have had from the community, and the ongoing help, advice and financial support from our partners in Scottish Government, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Argyll and Bute Council.

“I am also personally very grateful for the unstinting support of my fellow Directors who have all given so freely of their time during these protracted negotiations."

Douglas Cowan, Area Manager at Highlands and Islands Enterprise, said:

"We wish to congratulate MACC on the purchase of the air base on behalf of the local community. The base has tremendous potential which will be able to be developed over the coming years through community ownership and management.

“The buyout has had strong local support and, following recent multi-million pound investments in tourism and wind tower manufacturing, is another exciting development for the long term future of Kintyre.  HIE will continue to work closely with MACC to shape and support their ambitions."

Related information

The former RAF base at Machrihanish was declared surplus to defence requirements in October 2008.  Covering an area of over 1,025 acres on the Kintyre peninsula, it is a key site in phase one of the National Renewable Infrastructure Plan.  It is the site of a wind tower manufacturing facility, recently acquired by a joint venture of SSE and March Wind Technology and the site of Highlands and Islands Airport Limited Campbeltown airport. The disposal of the base has been the subject of a long running right to buy process. The deal was concluded on 11 May.

The Scottish Government and HIE will continue to work with MACC to ensure the economic development potential of the base is achieved.

Scottish Water is currently undertaking detailed exploratory work prior to starting work to connect the properties to the base. It is planning an information day at Machrihanish to give customers the opportunity to discuss what is being planned. The work is expected to be completed by spring 2013.

Chair Appointment to SNH Extended

The Minister for Environment and Climate Change today announced an extension to the appointment of Andrew Thin as Chair to the Board of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).

Stewart Stevenson said:

“I am very pleased that Andrew Thin has agreed to accept an extension to his term of appointment. Andrew has been a very effective chair of the SNH Board. His leadership, strong principles of sound governance and excellent skills in advocacy have proved invaluable over the past six years.

“Andrew will provide the SNH Board with continuity of leadership as the organisation adjusts to the changes in how it carries out its work over the next three years, following the outcome of the Spending Review in 2011.”

SNH is a non-departmental public body (NDPB) which is funded by the Government and Board Members are appointed by Scottish Ministers. SNH is the Government’s advisor on all aspects of nature and landscape across Scotland. SNH’s role is to help everyone understand, value and enjoy Scotland’s nature now and in the future.

Andrew Thin – Chairman of SNH, having formerly been Convener of the Cairngorms National Park. Andrew has a strong track record in the public and voluntary sectors as Chairman of the John Muir Trust, Member of SNH’s North Areas Board and Member of the Crofters Commission Board. He is also a Member of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) and Director of JNCC Ltd the subsidiary trading company. Andrew has an Honours degree in Agricultural Science and Masters Degree in Business Administration. Mr Thin is also a non-executive director within the core Scottish Government, and is a member of the Scottish Government Audit and Risk Committee.

This extension will be for 19 months and will run from 1 August 2012 to 28 February 2014. This extension to the appointment is part-time and attracts a remuneration of £325.22 per day for a time commitment of 12 days per month (144 days per annum).

This extension to appointment was made in partial accordance with the Public Appointments Commissioner for Scotland's Revised Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies in Scotland. This extension to appointment met the Code requirements with the exception of paragraphs 2 and 3 of the Code relating to succession planning.

All extensions to appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the extension process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last 5 years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public. No political activity has been declared by Mr Thin.

Mr Thin has a second Ministerial Public Appointment as a member of Children’s Hearings Scotland, for which his remuneration is £3,864 per annum.

The Scottish Government expects to invite applications later this year for appointment to the SNH Board to fill Board member vacancies arising on 31 July 2012 and 31 March 2013. The appointments will run from 1 April 2013.