Nicola Sturgeon has called on industrialised countries in the global north to help poorer nations suffering the impact of climate change.
The Scottish First Minister said there is an obligation on richer countries which have largely caused climate change to help lesser developed nations struggling to cope with its effects.
Speaking from Cop27 in Egypt, she told the BBC: “I think this Cop is an opportunity for the global north and the global south to come together and have a proper, grown-up conversation about how we make progress.
“We’ve got to mitigate climate change, we’ve got to help countries adapt to the impacts of climate change, but as we’ve seen over the past year, not least in Pakistan, there are many parts of the world that are suffering loss and damage now that is irreversible and can’t be mitigated against.
“There is an obligation in the spirit of solidarity for the richer countries that have largely caused climate change to now make a big effort to help those dealing with the impacts address that.”
Nicola Sturgeon meets President Joe Biden during Cop26
The First Minister is set to take part in an all-female panel discussion on financing decarbonisation with government leaders, including the prime minister of Barbados.
Ms Sturgeon will also meet representatives from countries in the global south region to hear their experiences of the climate crisis and what they want to see delivered at the climate talks.
READ MORE: When is COP27? Dates and everything you need to know
She will encourage the message from Glasgow’s Cop26 conference last year to be delivered, which commits to reducing the usage of coal and advocates financing the shift to net zero.
Ms Sturgeon said: “Cop26 in Glasgow delivered real progress on tackling the climate crisis, with strengthened commitments to curb emissions, build resilience to climate change and provide the finance needed to reach net zero.
“World leaders must use the next two weeks to take meaningful steps to deliver on the promises made in the Glasgow Climate Pact.
“We are gathering against a tense backdrop and the geopolitical landscape has changed significantly in the last year, not least as a result of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
“However, the climate crisis has not gone away and the answer to many of the global crises we face, such as energy security and food shortages, lies in going faster.
“For many countries, particularly in the global south, this must be the Cop where the global north not only deliver on our promises to finance adaption and mitigation, but recognises the need to address the loss and damage experienced by countries already impacted by climate change.”
READ MORE: Climate activists echo COP26 protest in demonstration outside JP Morgan
Scotland became the first developed nation to commit to finance that addresses loss and damage, with other countries, such as Denmark, following suit.
The Scottish Government pledged £2 million from the Climate Justice Fund to fund the project.
Speaking this morning, the First Minister said it is important that Cop27 builds on the work of last year's conference.
She said: “I think Glasgow was a success, we didn’t get everything that had been hoped for going into Glasgow but I think the feeling coming out of Cop26 was that it was a good foundation to build on.
“It will only count if it is implemented, the commitments around keeping 1.5 degrees alive, the commitments around climate finance, mitigation, adaptation, crucially loss and damage, that now has to be implemented and this Cop here in Egypt is all about implementation.
“So, what happens here over the next couple of weeks is absolutely crucial now to our chances of keeping 1.5 alive and, to be blunt about it, saving the planet for generations to come.”
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