Scottish net zero secretary hopes to use COP29 summit to drive ‘greater action’ on climate change

Scotland’s acting Net Zero Secretary has said she hopes to use the upcoming COP29 summit to drive “greater action” on climate change.

Gillian Martin will attend the global gathering in Azerbaijan next week on behalf of the Scottish Government.

She will join talks with other governments and international organisations on the action needed to tackle the climate emergency.

The minister said she will seek to highlight Scotland’s “practical experience” in areas such as the switch from fossil fuels to cleaner forms of energy.

Speaking ahead of the summit, Ms Martin said: “Our country has a wealth of experience and expertise when it comes to the just transition to net zero, which can help influence, inform, and shape the global climate debate.”

She also stressed Scotland was the first government in the global north to pledge loss and damages funding to help those nations struggling as a result of climate change – saying that money is “supporting vulnerable communities who are at most risk”.

Ms Martin added: “We are committed to continuing that progress and contributing to the finance debate, to ensure it is in line with climate justice principles.”

She said she will be “travelling to COP29 to represent the Scottish Government, share that practical experience” and also to use Scotland’s “leadership position” in various groups to “help drive greater action across all levels of government in tackling the devastating impact of climate change”.

The acting Net Zero Secretary said: “Scotland’s commitment to ending our contribution to global emissions by 2045 at the latest is ambitious, but it is achievable.

“We know that challenges lie ahead and the only way we can truly meet the need and urgency of the task that lies ahead is by working together to exchange ideas and agree shared actions.”

The talks come days after Holyrood was forced to pass legislation to remove the target of reducing emissions by 75% by 2030 from climate change laws, after it became clear this could not be achieved.

The last time the Scottish First Minister did not attend Cop was in 2015, when the then climate change secretary Roseanna Cunningham travelled to Madrid for the talks.

Scottish Conservative net zero spokesman Douglas Lumsden said: “Given the SNP’s decision to scrap their legally binding climate targets this week, it’s no wonder that John Swinney is too embarrassed to show his face at COP29.

“SNP ministers like to boast that they are world-leading on this issue, but the harsh reality is that they have missed their own climate targets in nine out of the last 13 occasions.

“While it’s obvious that the SNP need to up their game on tackling climate change, hard-pressed Scots will be questioning whether Gillian Martin should be jetting across the globe when they are tightening their own belts because of the nationalists’ economic incompetence.

“Rather than travelling abroad to virtue signal about their so-called green credentials, it’s just common sense that the SNP should focus on the real issues instead.”