Scotland will host a series of high-profile talks with representatives of the Global South in the run-up to the UN climate conference COP26 in Glasgow.

The Glasgow Climate Dialogues will give policymakers and civil society members in Scotland the chance to hear directly from people living in some of the countries that are severely impacted by climate change.

Participants will share about the issues that they are facing, and their expert opinion on what needs to happen at the COP26 negotiations.

The four sessions of the Glasgow Climate Dialogues are hosted by the Scottish Government and Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, and will take place online from 6-9 September.

The participants at the Dialogues will include representatives of governments, NGOs, charities, universities and other global south climate actors. A range of countries will be involved, including Malawi, Sri Lanka, Rwanda, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Uganda, and Tonga.

Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson said:

“Scotland’s commitment to climate justice does not stop at our borders. COP26 in Glasgow represents the world’s best chance – perhaps one of our last chances – to avert the worst impacts of climate change. We are making great strides in reducing our own emissions and will end our contribution to climate change completely by 2045 at the latest. 

“To play our full role in supporting the aims of the Paris Agreement, we must also be an ally to the nations most urgently impacted by climate change. The countries represented in these discussions make up a fraction of the world’s emissions, but are already feeling the effects severely. I look forward to listening to what they have to say, and to working together to deliver a positive outcome at COP26 and lasting global climate action.”

On behalf of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, Alistair Dutton, Director of the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF), said:

“The worst effects of climate change are being felt now by people in the poorest countries who have done little or nothing to cause this crisis. More frequent and severe droughts, floods and heatwaves, as well as rising sea-levels and ecosystem degradation are hitting the poorest people in the poorest countries hardest.

“We need to hear directly from representatives of the Global South to understand what needs to happen at this year’s COP26 negotiations to make it a success.”

The four sessions of the Glasgow Climate Dialogues will cover some of the key topics at COP26: Participation, Loss & Damage, Just Transition and Adaptation, and will result in a joint communiqué capturing the key messages for COP26 which were discussed during the Dialogues. This will be published in late September and promoted before and during COP26.

For more information, please contact:

Fiona Hooker: Communications and Campaigns Officer, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland

Email: fiona@stopclimatechaos.scot | Tel: 07724 840620

Further details about the Glasgow Climate Dialogues can be found at:

https://www.stopclimatechaos.scot/campaign/glasgow-climate-dialogues/ 

About Stop Climate Chaos Scotland

• Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) is a diverse coalition of over 60 organisations campaigning together on climate change.

• We believe that the Scottish Government should take bold action to tackle climate change, with Scotland delivering our fair share of action in response to the Paris Agreement and supporting climate justice around the world.

• Our coalition members range from environment, faith and development organisations to trade and student unions and community groups.

• Our work is led by our members and is normally focussed on lobbying decision makers in Scotland, but we also work on UK-wide campaigns when appropriate with our sister organisations in England (The Climate Coalition) and Wales (Stop Climate Chaos Cymru).

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