National Organisations on Climate Action Campaigning
The following organisations can help individuals and groups with campaigning, lobbying and influencing, providing research, training and support.
Hope for the Future:
Hope for the Future helps individuals and groups with training and support on the best ways of engaging with elected representatives, focusing on climate change. They provide training and practical support – helping with research and framing of ‘ask’ etc.
Example: This is one of the trainings presented by representatives from Hope for the Future about getting to know about your community priorities by local politicians. They provide guidance and resources for engaging with politicians on climate issues.
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth Scotland (FoE) is a prominent environmental organisation operating in Scotland and is part of the global Friends of the Earth International network. FoE Scotland is known for its advocacy, campaigns, and grassroots initiatives aimed at addressing environmental challenges and promoting sustainable solutions.
They provide training and campaigning materials to individuals and groups.
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a global environmental organisation committed to promoting peace and addressing urgent environmental issues. Founded in 1971, Greenpeace operates in more than 55 countries, with a mission to confront environmental threats and advocate for solutions that contribute to a sustainable and equitable future.
Uplift
Uplift is dedicated to strengthening the movement for a fair and fossil fuel-free United Kingdom. The organisation strategically fosters, links, and amplifies ideas and voices to initiate a fair transition away from fossil fuel production.
Fridays for Future:
Inspired by Greta Thunberg, Fridays for Future is a global movement where students skip school to protest for climate action. Communities can support this initiative by organising local events, raising awareness, and joining the movement.
The University of Aberdeen has a local Fridays for the Future group: Fridays For Future Aberdeen | Facebook
Actions You Can Take
Communities can employ strategies such as letter-writing campaigns, petitioning, protests and leveraging social media to gain attention and take necessary actions.
Raising Awareness, Producing Materials and Creating Campaigns
Raising awareness is the first stage of any campaign. People need to recognise that there is an issue and feel motivated to do something about it before they will take part in campaigning on it.
Aberdeen Climate Action (ACA) organise monthly climate cafes on different topics to do with climate change and are designed to inform and inspire those in the North East of Scotland to ‘take action’ and start up their own eco/sustainability projects, change their lifestyles or just know more about what options and amazing projects around the local area. These events enable participants to learn about different campaigns going on and support those campaigns, for example, on carbon food labelling.
Deveron Projects is an arts organisation based in Huntly, which is a market town in the North East of Scotland. This organisation creates projects that connects artists, communities and places through creative work and engagement. They have produced a climate justice handbook named Paradise Now! A Climate Justice Handbook for Young People and also host the Huntly Youth Climate Movement
Letter Writing
Amnesty International's "Write for Rights" is an annual global campaign that encourages individuals to take action on human rights issues by writing letters and messages in support of those who are unjustly imprisoned, facing persecution, or in vulnerable situations. The campaign typically focuses on specific cases of individuals or groups whose human rights have been violated. Write for Rights - Amnesty International provides detailed information on the current cases, guidelines for writing, and ways to get involved. The section Climate Change in Amnesty International provides information to encourage and take action on climate rights.
Similarly, individuals and communities can contribute to climate change initiatives and address environmental concerns by writing letters and endorsing petitions urging authorities to take decisive actions. Friends of the Earth Act Now provides a space to get in touch with your MPs, sign petitions and take actions to protect our environment. One example is the open letter to the government for strong environmental principles.
The "Write to Your MP" by Hope for the Future provides details on how individuals can communicate with their elected representatives, address issues, campaigns or advocacy efforts associated with the organisation.
Speaking to Local Politicians:
Engaging directly with local politicians is an effective way to voice community concerns and influence decision-making. Communities can arrange meetings, attend public forums, or participate in town hall sessions to express their priorities.
Example: Deeside Climate Action Network (Deeside CAN) have launched a ‘Positive Action’ campaign, in their newsletter asks local representatives (MPs, MSPs, Local Councillors) to talk about the positive actions they have taken to deal with the climate and nature crises.
Getting Community Priorities Actioned by Politicians:
This action focuses on building relationships with elected officials to ensure community priorities are heard and acted upon.
Aberdeen Climate Action (ACA) has engaged in several consultative exercises over the past couple of years, like Pathways to a Sustainable Aberdeen, Active and Public Transport for NE Scotland and so on. Following these exercises, ACA compiles comprehensive reports that are subsequently presented to Members of Parliament (MPs), Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), and local Councillors. The aim is to advocate for the implementation of community requests and initiatives to address climate-related concerns.
Active and Public Transport for NE Scotland - Aberdeen Climate Action
Consultations - Aberdeen Climate Action
Aberdeen Cycle Forum has local councillors come along to its meetings, takes part in local travel consultations, undertakes surveys and lobby's elected representatives for action to improve cycling. It works to improve cycle routes in Aberdeen City. Aberdeen Cycle Forum – Campaigning for active travel in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
It has also been instrumental in setting up a group cycle ride - Critical Mass Aberdeen on the last Friday of the month to highlight the need for cycling infrastructure in Aberdeen
Protests:
Protests can be used to bring public and political attention to an issue and can range from marches, to rallies, to demonstrations. There have been many climate related protests in Aberdeen over the last 10 years with several from Fridays for the Future.
Here is a useful guide from Liberty, a UK foremost human rights organisation, on how to organise a protest and Friends of the Earth: Protest guidance: know your rights.
Key Funding Sources
Scottish Education and Action for Development – SEAD FundSEAD provides small grants for individuals or groups for positive action, and campaigning. They fund proposals where grant will have most impact, e.g., helping a new campaign to get started, or funding a specific concrete action for a local community. They are mostly focussed on campaign activity on areas such as women’s rights, climate justice, poverty, young people and their global rights, inequality, and health justice.
Lush – Charity Pot Funding
Lush supports small, grassroots organisations around the world working in environment, animal protection, and human rights. They look for organisations that take issues that others don’t, those that push boundaries and challenge mainstream opinion. They support non-violent direct-action groups that play an important part in bringing about social change and prioritise projects that aim to create long-term change. They fund activities including community development & regeneration, campaigning, environment. Your group should have annual income of less than £350,000 and be run entirely or predominantly by volunteers.
The Paristamen Charity – Responsive Grant
The Paristamen Charity is a small grant making charity, with a Responsive Grant-Making programme that makes unrestricted one-off grants of around £500 – £1,000 each that would make a difference to your operational work. The maximum annual income of those who can apply is £500,000. Some of the activities they fund include housing & shelter, advocacy, campaigning, environment, and community development & regeneration.
New Funding - Climate Action Fund
The Climate Action Fund supports communities across UK to take action on climate change. They would fund projects that reach people by linking climate action to everyday lives and interests of local communities or influencing communities at a regional or national level, that is, linking up groups across locations or campaign that inspires change across one country, or nationwide. The applications will open from 27th March 2024.
