We take our UK campaigns to audiences in Scotland and target our Scottish Parliament with key campaigns too.
Minister packs Scotland's 'Suitcase of Hope' ahead of Durban climate talks
December 2011 - As he prepared to pack his suitcase and join the UK delegation at the COP17 climate talks in Durban, Stewart Stevenson MSP received a few extra items to take with him to South Africa.
Stop Climate Chaos Scotland presented the Minister for Environment and Climate Change with a ‘suitcase of hope’ including:
A copy of the Scottish Climate Change Act – which is still the strongest climate change legislation in the world.
A copy of the Durban Times to demonstrate the urgent need to agree a global deal on climate change, to follow on from the Kyoto Protocol.
A sack of drought resistant seeds and an IOU to demonstrate the need for poor countries to receive support in tackling the effects of climate change, for example increasing droughts and flooding.
A wind turbine to demonstrate Scotland’s commitment to supporting and developing renewable energy, including a target of 100% of Scotland’s electricity to come from renewables by 2020.
SCCS is calling on the UK delegation to push the EU and others to lead in the international climate negotiations in Durban, and as part of this is urging the Scottish Government to:
Show strong leadership to agree legally binding international cuts in carbon emissions at a level adequate to stop catastrophic climate change, particularly through a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.
Support developing countries to adapt to climate change and develop in a low carbon way through championing the Green Climate Fund, leading international discussions on sourcing vital public money, and ensuring that the funds reach those in most need.
Demonstrate the commitment already shown in Scotland to our world-leading Scottish Climate Change Act and the social, economic and environmental benefits of developing our green economy.
Tom Ballantine, Chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, said:
“The talks in Durban are yet another important opportunity for world leaders to finally agree a global deal on climate change. Time is running out as the only agreement we currently have – the Kyoto Protocol – is due to end next year. We urgently need a follow-on agreement if we are to keep emissions under control and avoid the catastrophic effects of runaway global warming.
“In addition, the poorest people in the world must be supported to adapt to the effects of climate change – many of which are already being felt, such as increasing flooding and instances of drought. It is industrialised countries like Scotland who are largely responsible for climate change happening and we must provide financial help to those that are suffering elsewhere because of our actions.
“Scotland has already taken a strong position with our Climate Change Act, which remains the strongest climate law in the world, including a target to reduce emissions by 42 per cent by 2020 and 80 per cent by 2050. We must continue to show the world that a country like ours can become a truly low carbon economy.”
Christian Aid Scotland is a member of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland. Read their blog from Durban.
Asking Unilever to trace the tax
November 2011 - The Christian Aid Scotland team donned their cleaning gear and used Unilever products to send a message on tax to the Chief Executive of Unilever.
The team were keen to show their continued support to the ongoing FTSE campaign which urges key FTSE firms to help us trace the tax - not because we're accusing them of dodging tax themselves, but because we feel they are perfectly placed to lead from the inside and raise the call for new global accounting rules that will help poor countries and their citizens trace the taxes they are owed.
Over to you Scotland!
We would love you to help. All we ask for the next stage of our FTSE 4 campaign is that you take your own quirky photo, like ours, and send it to the Chief Executive of Unilever, Paul Polman. We've even got a letter for you to send if this helps. Remember to sign it from everyone in your photo!
Print off this letter to send to Unilever (PDF) >
Christian Aid's Trace the tax campaign >
Take action on climate change
Concerned about climate change? Tell your MSP what you want to see in the Scottish Budget.
The Scottish Government is currently putting together the Budget for 2012-13 as well as a four-year spending review. Just now is the time to influence it. Christian Aid is asking supporters to write to Members of the Scottish Parliament, urging them to prioritise climate change actions.
Find out more and write to your MSP here >
News about Hunterston
September 2011 - The Scottish Government is still considering a planning application for a new coal-fired power station at Hunterston.
The UK Government included the Hunterston option in an application for EU-funding for new energy projects. Christian Aid does not support the construction of new coal-fired power stations such as the one proposed at Hunterston, even with partial Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology. If CCS is to be trialled, we believe this should focus on existing power stations. More information can be found here:Friends of the Earth,WWF Scotland, Communities Opposed to New Coal at Hunterston
Scottish Elections 2011
Thank you to everyone who took part in the range of hustings events (both real and 'virtual') in advance of the Scottish election 2011.
Now that the election is over we need to hold politicians to account for what they've promised to deliver on international poverty-related issues over the next five years.
Our key manifesto asks >
Thanks for emailing the party leaders….
Thank you to everyone who wrote to the political party leaders to call for climate change action in their manifestos.
It seems this campaign caught their attention with email inboxes reportedly being 'inundated' with your emails. If you took action, you may have received a response directly from the party leaders but we are also displaying their responses on the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland website.
Writing to the party leaders was the first part of our campaign to ensure climate change is prioritised by the next Scottish Government.
Paying our dues
Tax report from Christian Aid and the Church of Scotland
Christian Aid and the Church of Scotland have launcheda joint report to raise awareness of the billions lost to developing countries from tax evasion and avoidance and to call on the International Accounting Standards Board to introduce an international country-by-country reporting standard.
Read the report, Paying our dues: How tax dodging punishes the poor, and watch our video of the Rt Rev John Christie discussing the report >
Christian Aid joins 'The Big Climate Connection'
Christian Aid is joining with Stop Climate Chaos to ask our supporters to lobby their MPs and ask them to take action on climate change!
With a historic new coalition government and more than 200 new MPs in place, this is the perfect opportunity to tell your MP that climate justice matters to you.
You don't need to be an expert, you just need to be willing to ask your MP some questions and communicate your views to them.
Find out what’s happening in Scotland on the Stop Climate Chaos website.
To see if anyone is already lobbying your local MP, and to sign up yourself, check the Big Connection Climate Map.
Keep an eye on this page for more actions on climate change campaigns.
Want to know more right now? Contact Diane Green in our Glasgow office.
Christian Aid is a key member of the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition.
Say no to dirty coal!
Hunterston - thank-you!
More than 250 Christian Aid supporters took our online action against the proposed coal-fired power station planned at Hunterston in Ayrshire. Thank you!
'We call on rich nations like Scotland to invest in clean technology that can be shared with communities across Africa and to put a stop to subsidising energy derived from fossil fuels.'
Mithika Mwenda*
You were part of a strong movement of more than 14,000 people who registered their concerns.
The application is currently sitting with the Scottish Government and a decision is unlikely until the new year. We will keep you informed of its progress, and may well ask for your help later in the year.
If built without full carbon capture and storage (CCS) the Hunterston plant will be a major source of greenhouse gas emissions for many years; causing climate change - one of the greatest challenges facing people living in poor countries.
* Mithika Mwenda, from our partner organisation the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, voicing his objections to Hunterston.
Looking for climate change resources?
How about showing this short film designed and produced by pupils at Dalkeith High School near Edinburgh.
It’s Time to Take Control was the winning film from the Cool It! competition organised by Christian Aid and Stop Climate Chaos Scotland.
Christian Aid had been puzzling over how to engage young people on the challenging subjects of climate change and poverty.
The Cool It project gave young people across Scotland the opportunity to voice their ideas about climate change and the challenges that face them as 21st century global citizens.
Thanks to contacts from Hand Up media the film was made with a new form of filmmaking – Machinima – that uses computer game technology & software to make animated films.
To watch our short video on the work Christian Aid Scotland do in the UK and overseas see here.
To find out more about any of our campaigns in Scotland please contact Diane Green, our campaigns officer, on dgreen@christian-aid.org.
