04/02/2010
In the space of two years, the British Council has spent more that ã3.5 million of British taxpayers' money on climate change propaganda ã according to information released to this blog under the Freedom of Information Act.
It has been spent on recruiting young people in 60 countries to pressurise world leaders to "to take action on climate change". This included funding groups to attend the December Copenhagen summit in order to take part in demonstrations.
Founded in 1934 to promote Britain's international cultural relations, and funded heavily by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), this body until recently chaired by Lord Kinnock has become one of Britain's lead bodies overseas, in promoting the climate change agenda.
The ã3.5 million expenditure has been incurred on two initiatives. The first, and most expensive, costing ã2.5 million, is the "
International Climate Champions" programme. which "engages young people around the world as communicators who will help to influence and educate their peers and the general public on the urgency of climate change".
This is matched by the
European element known as "Challenge Europe", which has cost hard-pressed British taxpayers ã1.1 million to date. The British Council describes it as a three year project "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."
The second year of the project started this month and aims to select "15-20 young influencers" to become British taxpayer-funded "Climate Advocates". They are drawn from 17 countries across Europe: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey, UK and Ukraine.
Norway and Denmark have been amongst the biggest recipients, each getting ã36,000 in the financial year 2009/10 and, although the British Council has an international remit, ã35,000.00 was spent in Great Britain to recruit "Climate Advocates", with another ã37,000.00 being spent in Ireland. Sweden received ã34,500.00 and money even went to the Ukraine, with ã2,050.16 being spent there.
As regards the flagship programme, the "International Climate Champions", this was launched in 2008 in 13 countries (Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States) and then grew to encompass more than 800 in 29 countries.
Last year, this was expanded to 60 countries across the globe, recruiting over 1,300 young people "who are passionate about and committed to taking action on climate change." The British Council describes their "champions" as "not only leaders in their communities" but young people who "are also participating in international peer networks, both in person and online, to share ideas, projects and experiences."
Of the recipients, in 2008/9 ã50,000 was spent in the United States, ã30,775 in Mexico, ã49,831.74 in Brazil and even ã3,406.43 in China. South Africa received ã48,211.45 but, in a programme that reflects the underlying tensions between the British Council and Russia, only ã10.34 was spent in that country (on what?). Canada was paid ã54,861.05 and despite the parallel European programme, Germany got ã43,280.93, Italy ã40,416.40 and France ã44,392.54. Japan was given ã50,258.13 while ã245,382.93 was spent in the UK.
This expenditure totalled ã660,827.83 but in 2009/10 with not all funds disbursed, spending went up to ã1,852,010.28. This time, the largest recipient was China, which was given a massive ã303,093.24.
Other big recipients were India, which was given ã70,132.88 - including over ã11,000 to Dr Pachaur's institute, TERI. Brazil got ã71,262.91 and oil-rich Qatar was awarded ã77,587.89. A clutch of European countries were again funded, with ã30,347.77 going to Germany, ã13,955.23 to Italy and ã9,952.69 to France. Canada was given ã29,384.74 and the United States got ã21,115.88. Mexico was given ã3,417.57, Greece ã5,867.41 and Turkey ã3,890.91.
Bangladesh was given ã43,306.34, Nepal ã45,642.89 and Uzbekistan ã13,202.03. Indonesia gained ã38,992.36, Japan ã55,006.25 and Korea ã13,379.84. Even Singapore was not left out. It got ã693.56 while Thailand got ã24,327.37 and Vietnam was awarded ã15,264.68.
Over ã120,000 went to a raft of 12 African counties, with ã21,620.88 going to famine-torn Sudan and another ã14,286.31 to Mr Mugabe's Zimbabwe. Zambia got 29,486.00 and Tanzania ã10,542.47, while poverty-stricken Sierra Leone was given ã69.47. However, the British Council kept ã810,788.14 which was spent in the UK.
Nevertheless, taxpayers will be pleased to learn that the money is
in good hands. Head of the programme is the famous Dr Viner, formerly of the East Anglian Climatic Research Unit. It was he who in 2001 was telling
The Independent that within a few years winter snowfall would become "a very rare and exciting event".