NICOLA Sturgeon used her landmark address at the UN Climate Change conference in Germany to call on the world’s developed nations to take urgent actions to “turn the ambitions of Paris into reality”.
The First Minister was one of the main speakers at the event in Bonn, addressing an audience of heads of state and ministers with her appeal for the Paris climate accord to be implemented.
At previous conferences, Scotland has spoken on the fringes but yesterday the First Minister was asked to speak to the main hall on behalf of the world’s regions and devolved governments.
She told delegates: “We must now urgently agree the specific pledges – and agree the operating manual which will enable us to limit global temperature increases to well below 2C and preferably below 1.5C.
“Now, that doesn’t simply require impressive targets for the next two decades. It requires urgent action in the next two years as well and it requires all countries, developed countries especially, to contribute fair shares.”
The Scottish Government has set a target to reduce emissions by 42 per cent by 2020.
Sturgeon said she was aiming for an “early decision” to set an even more ambitious target of “net zero emissions” in the years to come.
While Scotland, as a devolved nation worked well with the UK on climate change, where her government could go further, Sturgeon promised that it would.
“Scotland works closely on climate change with partners around the world, from California to Malawi,” she said. “We also work with the UK Government. We welcome the strength of their commitment to the Paris Agreement.
“However, Scotland will go further where we can – for example, we have recently set an earlier target than the UK for phasing out new diesel and petrol cars.”
The SNP leader added that role of the devolved and regional government was especially important given the Trump administration’s decision not to ratify the Paris agreement, with the President calling it “unfair”.
The US is the only signatory to the Paris agreement not to ratify.
Sturgeon said: “There is no doubt that devolved, regional and local governments are emerging as a powerful force for good in the fight against climate change.
“We recognise the economic and social opportunities of a just tran- sition to create new jobs; to protect our natural environment; and to tackle pollution and save lives.
“But, above all else, we understand this – tackling climate change is an overwhelming moral obligation that we owe to this and future generations.”
Sturgeon added: “The message of cities, regions and devolved governments around the world to UN member states is this – our ambitions must live up to the scale of the challenge, and our actions must live up to our ambitions.
“If they do, we will stand with you as proud partners. We will work with you to go further and faster together.”
Mary Church, from Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “Climate change is a global problem that doesn’t respect borders so the world’s nations have to come together to decide and agree on how we are going to tackle this existential crisis for humanity.
“These are bleak times in many ways, with the rise of the right and the very real impacts of climate change being already felt all around the world.”
Church added: “Nations and people’s movements are looking for leadership. If Scotland can step up and provide some of that, all the better.”
The chairman of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, Tom Ballantine, said Sturgeon being asked to speak at the conference was proof the world was noticing Scotland’s environmental efforts. He said: “Scotland should be proud to be invited to speak at such a high-level event during the COP23 talks. It highlights the important role we are taking in setting the ambitious targets needed to not only tackle climate change but also provide climate justice.
“Climate change is happening now and is already seriously affecting the lives of the world’s poorest people; those in communities that have done the least to cause the problem.
“The fact that the First Minister used her speech to highlight this growing injustice, and call for urgent and early action from those who have caused the climate crisis, is to be welcomed.”
Ballantine added: “When it comes to climate change, what Scotland does gets noticed right around the world, so it was great to see Scotland’s First Minister representing the interests of the planet’s states, regions and devolved governments at this year’s UN climate conference.”
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