Climate action must be at heart of First Minister's priorities for Scotland
The Scottish Government must redouble its commitment to climate action, says Scottish Green co-leader Lorna Slater. The warning comes ahead of a statement this afternoon by the First Minister on Priorities for Scotland.
Citing vital work that is underway in growing the renewables industry, restoring nature and transforming how we heat our homes, Ms Slater called on the First Minister to rule out any environmental rollback or climate climbdown.
Ms Slater said: “This is a really critical time for Scotland and our planet. From vital climate investment to a presumption against new oil and gas exploration, there can be no backtracking on delivering a greener and more sustainable future.
“When the Scottish Greens were in government we laid the groundwork for crucial progress on growing our renewables sector, restoring nature in our communities and transforming the way we heat our homes. It is essential that this work is continued and enhanced.
“The stakes could not be higher, and we don’t have time to waste. This is the most important challenge that this generation of politicians will face, and we must live up to it.
“Scotland has renewable resources that any country would envy, and we can and must be a global leader. That won’t happen by itself, it will need real climate action and a government that is prepared to prioritise it.
“A lot of people are concerned about the prospect of an environmental rollback or a climate climbdown. I hope that in setting his priorities the First Minister will give his assurances that this will not happen, and that he commits to building the fairer and greener future that is so vital for Scotland."
