20 November 2022
Press Release
For immediate release
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Email: mcarter@wwfscotland.org.uk
COP27: Scotland must redouble its efforts to tackle climate change
COP27 ends with a warning that lack of action on emissions cuts will undermine landmark deal on Loss and Damage
Scottish Government urged to ‘close the gap’ between its climate promises and delivery
Responding to the outcome of the COP27 climate talks, Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland said:
“With no agreement reached to phase-out fossil fuels at COP27, world leaders have failed to build on the progress achieved in Glasgow last year. The serious lack of ambition on cutting emissions means we remain on course to climate catastrophe, undermining the positive outcome that was agreed on Loss and Damage.”
On Scotland’s contribution to COP27, Banks said:
“It was great to see a strong Scottish Government presence during COP27. It was particularly good to see the First Minister continuing support for climate justice, recognising the fact that most of those impacted hardest by climate change did least to cause the problem. The issue of funding for action on loss and damage proved to be the breakthrough issue this COP, and Scotland can rightly say it helped play a small but important role in spotlighting and encouraging action on this crucial topic.”
On what needs to happen next, Banks added:
“Following the limited outcomes of COP27, governments everywhere must redouble their efforts to reduce emissions and take the necessary transformative action to keep warming to below 1.5°C. Scotland has already led the way on harnessing fossil fuel-free power from renewables, but we urgently need to see the same kind of progress on cutting emissions from the way we grow our food and the way we heat our homes.
“In the interests of people and nature, the Scottish Government must take steps to ‘close the gap’ between its climate promises and its climate delivery. Specifically, we need to change the way we support farmers to help them to cut emissions and restore nature, plus stronger regulation and incentives to enable a million homes switch away from polluting fossil fuels to renewable heating by 2030.”
Ends