Funding for community biodiversity projects

Biffaward Flagship Programme (UK)

Biffaward, which is one of the largest Landfill Communities Fund schemes, has announced that its Flagship programme is now open to applications. Biffawards provides grants to support a range of community and biodiversity project.

Through the Flagship programme grants of between £150,000 and £500,000 are available to support projects that have a regional or national impact. The Flagship Scheme supports Rebuilding Biodiversity and Cultural Facilities. Projects must be site-based, within 25 miles of a Biffa operation and ten miles of an active landfill. The organisation making the application must be eligible to enrol with ENTRUST as an Environmental Body.

Last year, the Flagship Scheme awarded £500,000 over two years to the John Peel Centre for the Creative Arts in Stowmarket, and £499,951 over three years to Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Rebuilding the Bure Valley Living Landscape project. Biffawards usually support 2 to 3 Flagship projects per year.

The deadline for expression of Interest is the 20th August 2012….

http://www.biffa-award.org/news/biffa-awards-2012-flagship-scheme-opens-for-business

Click on the link to check if your project is eligible: http://www.biffa-award.org/get-involved

Photo from Biffa Award webpage: http://www.biffa-award.org/news/biffa-awards-2012-flagship-scheme-opens-for-business

Church of Norway issues statement on Climate Change

The Church of Norway Bishops` Conference gathered at Svalbard, Norway, has issued a statement on climate change:

The Church of Norway Bishops` Conference has visited Svalbard and experienced both the greatness and the vulnerability of nature. The Arctic is a barometer for the world`s climate. The dramatic climate changes are evident. During this journey the broad academic agreement regarding the consumption of fossil fuels has been confirmed as one of the causes of these changes. It is an urgent matter to reduce the world`s total greenhouse gas emissions.

The climate changes affect the poor of the world the hardest. The most vulnerable have the least of responsibility for today`s situation. The fight against the climate changes has to be balanced by the right to a worthy life. The climate crisis and the lack of energy have to be solved as one problem. The industrialized countries have to take responsibility to cut in emissions significantly.

The full statement can be found here:

http://www.kirken.no/english/news.cfm?artid=379612

Ecumenical leaders push for sustainable future of earth at Rio+20

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople and the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit both have pressed for the future sustainability of earth and stronger commitments for ecological justice at Rio+20. They sent messages to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) Rio+20 which will take place from 20 to 22 June in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The event will assess the developments twenty years after the UN Earth Summit on Environment and Development of 1992.

In his message, Bartholomew I pointed out the challenges world leaders will face in “correcting the degradation of the planet” at Rio+20. He said that the

“delegates must look beyond the surface of problems in order to probe their root causes, which lie in the human heart and mind. A satisfactory conclusion to the Earth Summit requires a penetration into the root causes of ecological afflictions. An easy approach will not solve these problems.”

Signifying the “ecology of heart and mind” in his message, the Ecumenical Patriarch asked the participants to

“perceive the world as having a spiritual as well as a physical dimension”, since the “world is a sacred place as well as our only home. What we are proposing and proclaiming here is not just theological rhetoric. For many people, these issues are now a matter of life and death,”

As government delegates started the 3rd Preparatory Committee Meeting of UNCSD 2012 on 13 June, the WCC general secretary emphasized the significance of their encounter in his message.

“At the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, governments have the opportunity to recommit to past agreements and agree on a roadmap for the sustainable future we want.”

Recalling the challenges issued by past global initiatives for climate justice, and its relation to “green economy”, one of the main themes at Rio+20, Tveit said,

“Our children are asking why we have not been able to achieve more in these twenty years. Justice and peace criteria should permeate the contents of a green economy, which should be based on principles such as sustainability, dignity, equity, sufficiency, inclusion and resilience,”.

Highlighting the theme of his message, he concluded by saying,

“We do have hope. We believe God renews the whole creation through the Spirit so that life prevails.”

Read full message of the Ecumenical Patriarch for Rio+20

RELBONET Ghana now has a web site

RELBONET (Religious Bodies Network on Climate Change) of Ghana now has a web site which can be accessed here: http://www.relbonet.org/

RELBONET is an interfaith environmental organisation which is interested in establishing Eco-Congregation in Ghana. people who attended our Annual Gathering will have heard RELBONET coordinator Charles Agboklu speak about their work. A copy of his presentation can be found here (PDF file).

Open Farm Sunday 17th June 2012

Here is a list of all the open farms around the country on 17th June: http://www.farmsunday.org/ofs12b/visit/findfarm.eb

From Open Fram Sunday homepage:
LEAF's Open Farm Sunday has grown to become a key part of the farming calendar. It is a truely unique day, bringing the whole industry together.

A day when thousands of people visit farms to see for themselves what farmers do. It is a fantastic opportunity to hear the story behind the food we all enjoy everyday - from breakfast to supper.

Thank you to all the farmers and their helpers for getting involved, and to all the visitors. We hope you have a fabulous day.

Nurture in His Name Videos

We have received the following excellent videos.  Although these are English they are very relevant to the work of Eco-Congregation Scotlad.

The first two films of a series aimed at helping clergy and congregations to understand practical steps that they can take - and the theological reasons why they should - to be good environmental managers of their buildings and land are now available on http://www.youtube.com/user/NurtureInHisName

Nurture In His Name is the title suggested by the Archbishop of Canterbury who, with the Archbishop of Westminster, introduces the series and both appear in the first two films which look at solar power and biodiversity. Further subjects will be introduced shortly including encouraging children and young people, creating a wildlife areas, environmental training for clergy and case studies.

The series producers Mary Colwell and David Shreeve believe that the series could have discovered a new TV 'star'. 19 years old Polly Benson from Somerset introduces the solar programme and interviews a variety of people including a vicar and an architect about solar panels and questions what happens on a cold winters day. It is hoped to use Polly's talents in more productions currently underway. Others taking part include theologian John Bimson of Trinity College, Bristol, naturalist Chris Sperring, and David Moss a vicar from Bedminster. The films are available on YouTube and will be updated regularly. The producers welcome information from churches undertaking environmental initiatives who would like to share their experiences - good and bad - with others.

Introduction


Nature


Solar Power

Scottish Government's Climate Justice Fund

From the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland coalition:

The new fund aim to help people living in some of the world's poorest countries affected by the changing climate, such as more frequent and severe droughts and floods. It will be a good example to bring to the Rio+20 summit in June of how the rich world can face up to its historic responsibility for climate change and its substantial negative impact on many of the world’s poorest people.

Tom Ballantine, Chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, said:
"The Scottish public has consistently shown its support for people around the world who are affected by poverty and climate change. Ahead of last year's Scottish elections many thousands demanded that the next government create a Scottish climate adaptation fund. Their voices have been heard."

Judith Robertson, Head of Oxfam Scotland, said: "This fund shows Scotland is once again setting an example for other countries to follow in championing and delivering climate justice. Crucially, with one in seven people going to bed hungry every night, it must help the world's 500,000 small scale farmers boost their food production to ensure everyone has enough to eat."

Philippa Bonella, SCIAF's Head of Communications and Education, said: "International aid agencies like SCIAF are already working with poor communities devastated by the onset of climate change. This is a global crisis and immediate action is needed. The new Climate Justice Fund is a great start, and an example for other countries to follow."

Liz Murray, Head of Scottish Campaigns for WDM said: "Climate change is an issue of justice, with rich countries having caused climate change and poor countries now disproportionately suffering its impacts. It is right that the Scottish Government recognises that it owes a 'climate debt' to the world's poorest people and we hope that the fund will be of a size that meets the scale of the injustice suffered by poor countries."

Azra Sheikh, Campaigns and Communications Coordinator, Concern Worldwide, said: "Investment in small scale farming can act as a long term solution to the increasing challenges the world's poorest farmers are facing as a result of climate change."

Kathy Galloway, Head of Christian Aid Scotland, said: "This fund for climate justice will mean that communities whose livelihoods have been destroyed by flooding, droughts or displacement will be helped to find new ways of providing for their families, whether that be through growing different, climate-resistant crops, or building greater resilience to climate disaster."

Climate adaptation funding means that developed countries should provide funds to developing countries to support increased ability to adapt to the effects of climate change, and is a principle enshrined in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It has been agreed within the Convention to reflect the fact that developed countries have had a greater role historically in causing climate change.
The Scottish fund is a good start, but its starting point at £1m will have to be increased in the coming years to be able to address the scale of the problem.

The Climate Justice Fund complements the commitment Scotland has already made through its climate change legislation. The Scottish Government must now deliver on the promises in the Scottish Climate Change Act and reduce our emissions by 42% by 2020 and 80% by 2050.

Fore more information access the Stop Climate Chaos website on: http://www.stopclimatechaos.org/sccs-cjf-launch