is a three-year campaign that aspires to make a definite and lasting impact on the climate change debate, and is ambitious in its aim to accelerate change to a Low Carbon Future.
Cutting our Carbon CravingClimate Advocates in Scotland are to play their part in the fight to combat climate change following a nationwide search.
Six Scots have been chosen to act as Climate Advocates with the aim of reducing Europe’s carbon footprint. They are Ruth Carruthers from Glasgow, Rory Moody from Edinburgh, Angus Crabbie from Edinburgh, Stephanie Barrows from Glasgow, Alasdair Robertson from Livingston and Rory Crawford from Ayrshire.
They will take their place alongside their UK counterparts tasked with developing three practical and sustainable solutions. Similar teams in 15 countries across Europe will be developing their own initiatives and present them to business and government leaders with the aim of finding backing to develop their ideas further.
Now in its second year, the British Council Challenge Europe programme is a three-year campaign that aims to build a network of more than 500 motivated Climate Advocates in 15 countries across the continent to share expertise, best practice and to develop creative solutions to accelerate change to a sustainable low carbon future. All the advocates are voluntary and the project has to be completed in one year.
Angus Crabbie from Edinburgh, who set up his own carbon offsetting business 18 months ago called The Carbon Collective said: 'I firmly believe that countries like Scotland that are rich in natural resources should be using them better and harnessing more of the renewable energy potential – while at the same time being less wasteful.
‘What excites me most about the Challenge Europe project is the opportunity to be part of a pool of knowledge and expertise that has the platform to turn ideas into reality!'
Dr David Viner, British Council Programme Leader Climate Change, said: `Climate change is real and happening now but it is the younger generation who will inherit its most devastating impacts. This year’s recruitment of Climate Advocates across the UK will join an active network of passionate and committed individuals who are already playing their part in tackling the impacts of climate change.
‘I welcome the Climate Advocates to the programme and I look forward to seeing some of their innovative and pioneering ideas being turned into reality.’
Last year’s Advocates developed a series of initiatives that ranged from a grow your own initiative for university students currently being piloted in Nottingham to a company called LoCEM, whose mission is to mainstream low carbon living by securing donations of media space. One of the other projects being promoted is Understanding Energy which plans to tour an energy show around schools and is currently seeking funding to develop further material.
For more information about the Challenge Europe campaign and the British Council’s work to support the growing international consensus on tacking climate change, please telephone +44 (0)131 524 5745 or email simon.raeside@britishcouncil.org or visit our web site.
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