No room for complacency in climate change challenge – Sturgeon

No room for complacency in climate change challenge – Sturgeon

Nicola Sturgeon said Scotland will continue to raise its ambition in tackling climate change as she attended a global summit in Poland.

The First Minister said a recent report on the potential impact of rising global temperatures was a “call to action” for everyone and that no leader could afford to be complacent.

Ms Sturgeon was interviewed by former US vice president and climate change activist Al Gore on the fringes of the 24th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Katowice.

She told Mr Gore, founder of the Climate Reality Project: “We have massive renewable energy potential and that has allowed us already to reach a position where around 70% of our electricity comes from renewable sources.

“We are now working towards a target of, by 2030, at least half of all our energy needs coming from renewable sources as well.

“So we are blessed with the natural resources, and coupling that with the political will, it means we are able to go faster than many others, and that helps us to encourage others across the UK, across Europe and further afield to follow on.”

She added: “But it’s important that we continue to raise our ambition as well. The Paris Treaty makes it necessary we do so, the IPCC report just a few weeks ago really is a call to action for all of us.

“Even those of us who are in a leadership position here, none of us can afford to be complacent or rest on our laurels.”

Ahead of the trip, Ms Sturgeon announced funding of £200,000 to support the work of the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action, which promotes collaboration between governments, businesses and investors to lower emissions.

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