FM: “Next decade decisive in tackling the climate crisis”

Call for accelerated climate action ahead of COP30.

As the COP30 UN Climate Summit gets underway in Brazil, First Minister John Swinney called for swift and decisive action to tackle the devastating impacts of climate change.

The Scottish Government will be represented at the Summit by Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin. She will call for urgent action at panel sessions and in bilateral meetings, meet youth activists and civil society partners from the Global South, and share learnings from Scotland’s Climate Justice Fund programmes, advocating for similar approaches to be taken by counterparts.   

The next decade will be decisive in tackling the climate emergency, and COP plays a vital role in that. We have no time to waste in protecting the future of our planet, protecting nature and supporting populations who are increasingly under threat from the destruction caused by the climate crisis.

On my recent visit to Zambia and Malawi, I saw how the effects of climate change are already exacerbating poverty and inequality. We all have a moral responsibility to support countries who have done the least to cause the climate crisis but are feeling its effects most acutely – and Scotland will continue to play its part.

The Scottish Government will be using its platform at COP30 to advocate for, and amplify the voices of, countries in the Global South, stand in solidarity with the international community and, in our capacity as Regions4 President and Under2 co-chair, advocate for greater inclusion of governments such as Scotland in international climate processes and policies. That includes seeking to inform the discussion on climate finance and justice, using our experiences with the Climate Justice Fund to call for a fairer approach to resolving the global debt crisis.   

While ensuring Scotland’s voice is heard on the international stage, we are taking action domestically to help ensure we reach our net zero targets. Our recently published draft Climate Change Plan sets out over 150 actions to reduce emissions up to 2040 across different sectors, and is the first climate plan in the UK to set out the costs and benefits of policies.

– THE FIRST MINISTER