not many people know
Paul Homewood
h/t Paul Kolker
Well, Rodney, it's good to have a conscience, but business is business!
Money spent on restoring nature will be diverted to fund wage solutions for local authorities in Scotland.
BBC News Scotland understands ministers have written to parliament asking them to use this year's Nature Recovery Fund allocation towards resolving the pay deal.
The fund is worth £29.2m, but money is allocated between councils and Nature Scot, the Scottish Government's nature agency.
The Scottish Government said £5m would be repurposed to fund the pay package, but added it would be replaced over the next few years.
The Nature Restoration Fund pays for local projects that respond to natural emergencies, from planting trees to restoring waterways.
With an estimated one in nine species in Scotland at risk of extinction due to long-term habitat loss, ministers have said restoring biodiversity is “vital” to tackling the climate crisis.
Last week, Finance Minister Shona Robinson said spending restrictions were “inevitable” due to “spending challenges”.
“Desperately bad news”
Ron Banks, director of WWF Scotland, said: “It is extremely frustrating when the small amount of funding allocated to climate and nature action comes under further pressure.
“Scotland is one of the most resource-poor countries in the world and it's important we take steps now to start turning this around.
“Many of the actions you can take to protect nature can also bring benefits to the public, whether it's reducing carbon emissions, cleaning the air or helping to reduce flooding.
“So withdrawing investment from this area is just setting up problems for the future.”
Mark Ruskell, the Scottish Green Party's environment spokesman, told BBC News Scotland: “We are in the midst of a climate and nature emergency.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy7p2y1p1eo
When even the potty-mouthed SNP realizes there is no Corbyn magic cash cow, the Green Maniacs are really in trouble!
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