Scottish Exec gives £250k to eco projects

Scottish Environment Minister Ross Finnie has announced grants just topping the £250,000 mark for seven environmental projects north of the border.


The minister said the projects would receive funding under the Sustainable Action Grants scheme, set up to promote environmentally-friendly lifestyles and improving environmental justice.

The varied recipients include a furniture recycling scheme in Orkney, a project to promote microgeneration in Dundee, a visitor centre promoting environmentalism in Fife and a number of programmes promoting sustainability in farming, focusing on everything from clean fuels to nature conservation.

“The Scottish Executive is committed to delivering sustainable development and an improved environment for all. These projects are playing an integral part in helping us achieve that aim,” said Mr Finnie.

“Choosing Our Future set out the challenges for Scotland in sustainable development.

“These projects will make a real contribution towards our priorities of sustainable consumption and production, climate change, natural resource protection, environmental enhancement and sustainable communities.”

The Executive invited applications for Sustainable Action Grants in January 2006.

The funding was available for national and regional projects of between one and three years’ duration that help to further the objectives set out in Choosing Our Future – Scotland’s Sustainable Development Strategy which was published in December 2005.

It was announced in January that the Sustainable Action Grant scheme, which is funded by the Environment and Rural Affairs Department, would be extended until 2009.

While grants in this year’s budgets top £250,000, the total funding is £610,934 over the next three years.

Sam Bond

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