We must pay attention to what young people need
IN just a few days, Scotland will host the 26th United Nations climate change conference of the parties – COP26. With our climate in crisis, we know that there has never been a more vital time to listen to the needs of the world around us and act quickly to prevent further damage to our planet.
The eyes of the world will turn to Glasgow with the arrival of world leaders, scientists, researchers, faith leaders and climate activists from across the globe for the COP26 summit. The leaders of more than 100 different countries will come to Glasgow, and events, exhibitions and gatherings will be taking place in different venues across the city, and beyond.
The Green Zone, at the Glasgow Science Centre, will be open to the public – hosting events with young people, faith groups, musicians, artists, civic society, businesses and others to promote awareness of the climate crisis and what we can do to help.
The Scottish Government is determined to do all that we can to ensure the summit is a success. To that end, we have been working closely with public health authorities, event organisers and partners like the UK Government and the United Nations to ensure an inclusive, accessible and safe summit in Glasgow with a comprehensive set of Covid mitigation measures in place.
This is a really unique opportunity to showcase Scotland to the world – including what our businesses and communities are doing to meet our world-leading climate targets. I have no doubt that the people of Glasgow will give those coming to our city the very best welcome – just as we did when Glasgow hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2014.
Scotland will play its part in securing an ambitious and deliverable global deal at COP26.
I am optimistic that this gathering can achieve a great deal, but it is not an exaggeration to say that the next few weeks could be the most important in the history of our planet.
COP26 will set the tone for generations to come and must mark a turning point in our journey towards net zero – ensuring that we keep global temperature rises below the crucial 1.5C mark is key. Climate change is the greatest challenge facing our planet, and we in Scotland have a real opportunity to influence climate action and the transition to a net-zero society and economy – quickly, but also fairly, making sure that no-one is left behind.
As the host city for COP26 we can influence, but we must also show credibility when it comes to our own actions to tackle the climate emergency. We will do all we can to secure a “Glasgow Agreement” that allows us to look future generations in the eye – but to support that outcome, we must lead by example. Scotland is a small country, but we make up for that with our leadership on climate action and climate justice so far. We were one of the first nations in the world to declare a climate emergency. We have also cut our emissions by more than half since 1990.
We have set some of the world’s most ambitious legal targets for emissions reduction, and we have decarbonised faster, since 2008, than any country in the G20. And there is a real recognition of the fantastic resources we have in Scotland as we continue to develop innovative technology in wind, tidal and solar power.
It is important to stress that Scotland is making progress in delivering our climate change ambitions, but we still have much more to achieve. We can, and must, go further.
Young people have been leading the charge when it comes to demanding real action from governments and politicians like me. They are the ones who have set the narrative on climate change, and that’s apt, since it’s their futures which are under threat if we fail to act now.
I hope that future generations can look back on COP26 and remember it as a pivotal event in securing their futures in a fairer, greener, more sustainable world – and that it will not be remembered simply as a “talking shop”.
It’s absolutely vital that the voices of our children and young people are heard loudly and clearly during the COP discussions. They must continue to be at the heart of decision-making, and I know that they will be in Glasgow making their voices heard, both from inside and outside the negotiating tables.
I am pleased that the Scottish Government has funded the Conference of Youth – which begins tomorrow. More than 400 young people, from more than 120 countries – including Scotland – will meet to discuss their experiences and to draw up demands of world leaders, and we must listen to what they have to say.
No-one underestimates the scale of the challenge in front of us, but we can’t afford to underestimate the impact on lives – particularly those in the poorest countries – if we don’t meet that challenge.
Our future is at stake, and countries of all shapes and sizes must step up to the challenge, before it’s too late.