THOUSANDS of pounds has been made available for green community projects in a bid to tackle climate change.

Community groups across the county will be able to apply for funding from a pot of £25,000 from Lancashire County Council's climate change fund.

The money is to be used to support community projects which help reduce greenhouse gas emissions or help communities cope with the impact of climate change and will start giving out grants in October this year.

The climate change fund of £250,000, established by Lancashire County Council spread over three years, is to be distributed between all 12 Lancashire Local committees.

Claire Phillips, from Lancashire County Council environment directorate, said: "This is for community groups to support projects that mitigate the effect of climate change.

"It's for small projects such as those run in the Forest of Bowland where they put forward plans for wind turbines and community centres for raising awareness within communities.

"We will be inviting community groups to apply for the funding when it goes live in October 2007."