First Minister’s Questions

Somebody find me a rainbow scarf…

Following Robin Harper’s announcement at the weekend that he won’t be continuing as the Co-Convenor of the Scottish Green Party, I have been delighted to accept the nomination to succeed him. To be clear, nobody had to work up a letter-writing campaign to get the nomination papers sent out, and nobody has resigned in protest about anything.

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CLIMATE CHALLENGE FUND AWARDS £343,750 TO CLEAN ENERGY PROJECT IN CARDENDEN

The first full round of projects to be backed by the Climate Challenge Fund were announced today (1), with more than £700,000 being awarded to 14 projects across Scotland. These grants include £343,750 to support an innovative combined heat and power biomass scheme proposed for Cardenden by Renew, a cooperative energy company, working in partnership with the Ore Valley Housing Association. (2)

The Climate Challenge Fund, which is scheduled to provide £18.8m in funding over the next three years, was proposed by the Scottish Greens during the 2007 election, and adopted by the Scottish Government as part of the budget negotiations earlier this year. (3)

Visiting the site of the Cardenden combined heat and power project today, Patrick Harvie MSP said:

“A third of a million pounds will help this project bring clean affordable energy to people in Cardenden, helping to keep their fuel bills down and at the same time helping to tackle climate change. It’s a great honour to be able to come here today and see local people starting to turn the vision we had for the Climate Challenge Fund into reality.

“Community-led projects like this will blaze a trail for others across Scotland and beyond, serving as a test-bed for new ideas and new ways of working. Beating climate change is the most urgent challenge we all face, and communities, businesses, individuals and government will all have to play their part, just as Cardenden is today.”

Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, said:

“I am hugely encouraged by the wide range of innovative proposals put forward through this first round of awards, including the Cardenden combined heat and power biomass scheme. This community-led project will bring wider social and economic benefits to improve the quality of life of people in Fife.

“The Climate Challenge Fund is part of an exciting new era for community empowerment. I look forward to seeing the results of this project in making a real difference to our environment both locally and globally.”

Andrew Saunders, Director of Ore Valley Housing Association, said:

“We are delighted to have received this support. It’s a real boost for the people of Cardenden. And great news for the environment too. Local people have given strong support for this project. It will mean the community will own and control its own local energy system and won’t be dependent any more on imported gas.

“The timing of this project is just right as gas and electricity prices have gone through the roof – and it is likely that we haven’t seen the last of these increases. Our aim is for Cardenden to show the way for communities across Scotland to take control of their energy future.”

Notes

1. Further information about the full range of awards made today has been issued in a separate release from the Scottish Government:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2008/09/17112830

2. Information about Renew can be found on their website at:http://www.renewenergy.coop

3. To find out more about the Climate Challenge Fund, including advice on how to apply, visit:http://climatechallengefund.org

GO APE - GREENS OBJECT TO MINISTERS’ DECISION

Scottish Ministers today announced they would not intervene over the Go Ape! proposal in Pollok Park, despite massive public opposition.

Patrick Harvie MSP said:

“This is a disgraceful decision, and will anger the thousands of people who want to protect Pollok Park. The City Council’s consultation was a sham, the response from park users has been a clear rejection of the proposal, and for Scottish Ministers to pass the buck now is appalling.

“Go Ape is no doubt a fun facility, but the north wood of Pollok Park is an utterly inappropriate place for it, and if the Scottish Government refuse protect this oasis of calm in the heart of Glasgow’s south side, they should be ashamed of themselves.”