The Scottish government said it's invested more than $100 million in a fund meant to help local communities address the challenges of climate change.

Scottish Minister for Environment and Climate Change Paul Wheelhouse said Monday the $100.3 million invested in the Climate Challenge Fund so far includes an increase in this year's budget from $17.8 million to $20 million.

The minister said 18 projects were selected to receive more than $3.7 million in the latest funding effort.

"Although no one individual, group or nation can solve the problem of climate change every project announced today will play a part in making a real and lasting difference, not just locally or nationally but globally," he said in a statement.

The Scottish government aims to generate the equivalent of 100 percent of its annual electricity consumption through community- and locally-owned renewable energy resources by 2020.

"Scotland is on track to meet our world-leading 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target but climate change is still one of the most serious threats facing our global community," Wheelhouse said.

Scotland holds a one-question referendum on independence from the United Kingdom later this year.