Outrage as Salmond doubles climate cash for foreign countries

MORE taxpayers’ cash is to be sent abroad by the Scottish Government to help foreign countries ‘adapt’ to climate change.

Despite devastating unemployment l evels at home, Alex Salmond’s ‘climate justice fund’ will be doubled next year to £6million.

The extra money is on top of the SNP’s separate £9million international aid budget – and in addition to Scotland’s contribution to the UK Government’s foreign aid bill.

The move comes despite repeated complaints by SNP ministers who say cuts from Westminster are harming economic recovery in Scotland.

Critics last night called the decision ‘scandalous’ at a time when Scots families are suffering financial hardship.

But Mr Salmond said Scotland had a ‘continuing commitment to lead world thinking in the fight for climate justice’.

He added: ‘ We are taking practical action on the ground to help those most vulnerable to climate change; those in the world’s poorest communities in countries like Malawi – Scotland’s historic sister nation.

‘By doubling the climate justice fund, we can provide genuine life-saving and life-changing help to those communities. The Scottish Government has been at the forefront of the fight against climate change, such as our ambitious emissions reduction and renewables targets.’

The fund was set up last year to help ‘those who have done least to cause climate change (and) are bearing the brunt of its impact, due to increasingly erratic weather patterns and more climate-

‘Exporting costly errors’

related disasters such as floods and droughts’.

Ministers initially pledged £3million over three years for water projects in Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia.

The extra £3million pot will be available in 2014-15, although some projects may last for more than a year.

Eben Wilson, of TaxpayerScotland, said: ‘To double this funding at this time when every penny is needed to help growth improve at home is scandalous. The fact that it is targeted for green policy support when our fuel bills are soaring due to the subsidies at home for nonsense technologies shows us that our politicians are learning nothing from their mistakes. Rather, they seem intent on exporting costly errors to other nations.’

But Professor Alan Miller, chairman of the Scottish Human Rights Commission, said: ‘Climate change is arguably the 21st century’s greatest challenge to human rights and it is already impacting upon the lives, livelihood and ways of life of hundreds of millions of people. The impact is felt most by people in developing countries who have contributed the least to climate change. Climate justice recognises and addresses this injustice.’

Chris Hegarty, chairman of the ‘Enough Food for Everyone If…’ campaign in Scotland, said the funding announcement ‘is an important step along the road to Scotland repaying its climate debt to the poorer countries, and a timely example to other nations who should follow suit’.

The Scottish Government’s international development fund has trebled in only six years. That comes on top of the UK’s multi-billion-pound aid budget, towards which Scots already contribute.