The Herald is the longest running daily newspaper in the world and has spoken truth to power for more than 200 years.

Today that message needs to be heard louder than ever before. We are in the grip of a climate catastrophe and we – all of us – have to act before it is too late to save our planet.

When we launched our Climate for Change campaign in 2018, it was to support the work of others in fighting environmental change, to tell their stories and explain the urgency we need to bring to the environmental agenda.

Because of campaigners, including Greta Thunberg and Scotland’s Erin Curtis, Dylan Hamilton and Holly Gillibrand, and large-scale protests by environmental groups, our politicians and businesses are starting to act.

Thanks to our founding partners and supporters, we have raised the profile of the threat we face and worked together to communicate that doing nothing is not an option.

A few weeks ago, in September on a sunny day in Glasgow – and in towns and cities around Scotland – it was clear that message has been heard loud and clear.

It was a day Scotland, and the world, chose to stand together in mass gatherings to protest the climate emergency. We chose to devote our front page to it then.

A year from today, we will have the chance to do so again when the 26th Conference of the Parties, Cop26, comes to Glasgow to decide how to save our planet.

The eyes of the world will be on Scotland – and the 30,000 delegates and 200 world leaders.

That is why today we are proud to announce The Herald’s £100,000 Climate Fund to help enable groups to share their stories across Scotland’s largest multi-channel media organisation through match funding.

We will also sponsor a limited number of NGOs through space to ensure as broad a community of climate change activists as possible can be involved.

The Herald Editor Donald Martin said: “The climate emergency is the biggest story of our generation and it is our duty as a news organisation to help people separate the facts from fiction.

“We have been leading the way through our Climate for Change campaign for the past two years, playing our own small part in what has become a global movement. Now as the world gets ready for Cop26 in Glasgow, we need to be at the centre of the debate.

“We have a staff fully invested in playing their part and our quality journalism and investigative prowess will ensure this climate catastrophe receives prominence across our multimedia platforms. With our new campaign fund, we will provide an additional platform for Scotland’s voice to be heard, seen and recognised as being at the very heart of this extraordinary global movement.”

Team manager Stephen McTaggart, who conceived the Climate for Change campaign, said: “We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to showcase Glasgow and Scotland to world leaders all facing their own climate emergency. We want to help you communicate that message better.

“When we launched Climate for Change in March 2018 our aim was to provide a platform to educate and encourage industrial behavioural change.

“As our coverage has grown, we want use our new platform to support as many organisations as possible, from schools to local community groups, councils, public and private companies.

“So today, officially one year until COP26 starts in Glasgow, we are delighted to announce our Climate Fund open to everyone who has a story to tell about their contribution in the fight to protect the environment and create a greener world.”

Sales director David Ward said: “How this works is simple. If you have a campaign budget for your story of £500, £1,000, £3,000, £10,000 – we will double that investment, to give you access to our local and national network of titles, online sites, and social platforms. This gives the opportunity to amplify your message across Scotland and help join Scotland’s journey in demonstrating what change has taken place, and what still needs to be challenged.”

The Climate Fund will work in tandem with independent editorial output overseen by The Herald’s award-winning news and business teams.