Scottish election 2021: SNP pledge to double Climate Justice Fund to £24m if re-elected

The SNP has pledged it will double its ‘Climate Justice Fund’ if re-elected in the Holyrood elections as it continues to fight to prove it is serious about battling climate change.

Ben Macpherson, the minister for the natural environment and candidate for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, said the doubling of the fund would help Scotland continue to demonstrate its “climate leadership” in the year of the climate conference, COP26.

The fund, which was established in 2012, aims to help those living in countries in the global south, which are most likely to be impacted by climate change.

If elected, the SNP said it would double the fund to over £24m over four years.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is pledging more money to battle climate change

However, the SNP has been criticised by opponents for not going far enough to tackle climate change by focusing on targets rather than actions.

Mr Macpherson said: “Those in the global south have done the least to cause climate and ecological change and yet are most likely to be impacted first. This is not fair.

"That is why, in the year of COP26, and in a critical moment for global climate ambition, the SNP will double our Climate Justice Fund to £24m over four years if we are returned to government.

“The global climate and biodiversity crises are a reality that we must face now. Even in the midst of the pandemic, we must and we will do everything we can to play our part in the global challenge to tackle climate change and help those most affected by it.

“The UK – Brexit Britain – is becoming more isolated on the world stage under the Tory government, by cutting its international aid spending to below their legal and manifesto commitment, and by creating barriers to trade.

"Whereas, in Scotland, under the SNP, we have been demonstrating our climate leadership globally with our world-leading emissions and tree-planting targets, our investments in peatland restoration and our Climate Justice Fund.

“It is clear that the best way to secure a brighter, greener future for Scotland is to vote SNP on 6th May to put Scotland's future in Scotland’s hands – and not Boris Johnson’s.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.