First Minister Sets Stage For Scotland Leadership In Climate Change Discourse

Ambitious carbon targets, and innovative Hydro Nation initiative "Hydro Nation"

7 Nov 2021 by The Water Diplomat
GLASGOW, United Kingdom

Delegates
Greta Thunberg, Nicola Sturgeon, Vanessa Nakate

Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, went on record 31 October, tweeting that she “couldn’t agree more” with the UNFCCC’s executive secretary Patricia Espinosa’s view that: “We stand at a pivotal point in history.

“We either choose to achieve rapid and large-scale reductions of emissions to keep the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C – or we accept that humanity faces a bleak future on this planet.”

The international climate change conference began 31 October, with Sturgeon praising Espinosa for setting out the stark reality for world leaders: “act now with the urgency and ambition required to limit global warming to 1.5C, or accept a bleak future for life on our planet”.

The First Minister added: “Scotland is welcoming the world to what may be the most important international conference of this century.

“Scotland may not be at the top table of these negotiations, but I and the Scottish Government will be doing absolutely everything we can to help make this conference a success.”

The next day, Sturgeon met with Greta Thunberg and Vanessa Nakate and again commenting through Twitter that: “The voices of young people like @GretaThunberg and @vanessa_vash must be heard loudly and clearly at #COP26”. Sturgeon added that “the next few days should not be comfortable for leaders, the responsibility to act must be felt.”

Sturgeon feels that if the conference fails to deliver decisive action on emissions and funding for developing countries, then leaders will be held accountable by the younger generation.

The UK government has set a high ambition of securing commitments of up to $100 Billion USD per year to tackle climate change.

Scotland's progressive Hydro Nation initiative brings together distinct water communities for a holistic approach to identifying, managing and addressing challenges across the country's water environment, maximising economic growth opportunities, and developing international opportunities and engagement.

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