Tuesday 21 February 2023

Scotland invests in climate defences in Malawi

The Scottish government has made good on its promise at COP26 to help developing countries fight the impact of climate change.

When the pledge was made to commit £2 million to “loss and damage” from climate change, it represented a world first – which was also taken at the following climate summit by other nations.

Scotland has put the commitment into action by protecting a village in Malawi from the impacts of extreme weather.

Heavy rain battered Mambundungu, seeing homes washed away and crocodiles enter the village; attacking locals.

Flood defences have been paid for by Scotland, which claims that richer countries have a responsibility to poorer nations to protect them from the damages of climate change.

The villagers were forced to move uphill after the detrimental impacts of the rain – which is where these new flood defences have been built.

Around £500,000 has been earmarked by the Scottish government to be spent across six Malawian villages – distributed by the Scottish Catholic Aid Fund.

Ben Wilson from the fund said: “[This money is] giving them what they need to build back, to build that resilience, but also to get their lives back on track.”