Exclusive:SNP minister to warn COP29 global climate action 'at risk of slipping'

Gillian Martin will admit Scotland has faced its “own challenges” hitting climate targets as she tells COP29 devolved nations will play a key part in keeping global ambitions on track.

Scotland’s net zero secretary will warn COP29 that governments’ pledges on tackling the climate crisis are at risk of “slipping” as she will admit SNP ministers have faced their “own challenges” in delivering action.

Gillian Martin, the Scottish Government’s acting net zero and energy secretary, will speak at the COP29 global climate conference in Baku today, where she will address the opening of the multi-level pavilion.

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The COP29 climate conference has started in Baku, AzerbaijanThe COP29 climate conference has started in Baku, Azerbaijan
The COP29 climate conference has started in Baku, Azerbaijan | Getty Images

Ms Martin is the only elected representative of the Scottish Government attending COP29 after it was confirmed First Minister John Swinney will not travel to Baku - the first time in five years Scotland’s first minister has not taken part in the summit.

But Ms Martin will use her opening address to warn environmental leaders that “we risk national governments commitments to the climate slipping”.

The Cabinet secretary is expected to say: “I am clear that the best way to tackle the climate emergency is for all nations to work together – to push each other to do more, exchange ideas and agree shared actions.”

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The SNP minister will say there is “no clearer example” of the combined action needed than the new collective quantitative goal, a key element of the 2015 Paris Agreement that aimed to set a new financial target for developing nations to meet actions post-2025. 

She will say: “We must see greater ambition from parties on climate finance, with climate justice at its heart. In Scotland we face our own challenges in meeting our climate ambitions and we know we have much to learn from others.  

“But we have much to share and offer to the world - our leading work on just transition, our recently published adaptation plan and our expertise and potential in clean energies.

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“This is the great potential of devolved, state and regional governments that must be realised if we are to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.”

Earlier, Ms Martin had denied “watering down” the Scottish Government’s climate targets after scrapping key emissions goals by moving to five-year carbon budgets.

MSPs voted through legislation last week that axed the Government’s legally-binding targets of lowering carbon emissions by 75 per cent by 2030.

The Government accepted in April the goal was “out of reach”, but because it was included in climate change legislation, ministers have had to bring forward the Bill to amend it.

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As well as amending the previous legislation in 2019, it will see Scotland move to a five-year cycle of carbon budgeting, instead of aiming to reduce emissions by a certain proportion by a set time, while still retaining the ultimate target of reaching net zero by 2045.

Ms Martin, who is filling in for Mairi McAllan on the brief, was asked how she could advise developing nations on climate change when domestic targets are being missed.

“I don’t accept that we are watering down anything in terms of our climate change targets,” Ms Martin told the BBC. “We are committed to net zero by 2045.”

Told that targets had been removed, Ms Martin continued: “They have not been removed. We have a 2045 target of net zero and we have a five-year carbon budget in place.”

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Scottish LibDems MSP Liam McArthur, said that “if ditching key emissions targets after years of failing to meet them isn’t watering down, I’m not sure what is”.

He said: “The Cabinet secretary deserves credit for her collaborative approach in finding a way forward, but does herself no favours by engaging in spin. The reality is that ambitious targets were repeatedly undermined by SNP and Green ministers failing to do the hard graft of insulating homes, making transport cleaner or creating green jobs.

“Rather than denying what is obvious to everyone, SNP ministers should be moving heaven and earth to finally deliver for both the climate and communities. Doubling down on denials will only further damage the Scottish Government's credibility at COP29.”

Sir Keir Starmer is meanwhile expected to tell the nearly 100 other delegations in Baku that Britain is returning to “responsible international engagement”.

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The Prime Minister will argue the climate transition presents an almost seven trillion-dollar (£5.43 trillion) investment opportunity.

Sir Keir said: “Britain must work with other countries to combat climate change, solving these urgent problems at their root and tackling the causes, because our country is stronger when we do.

“This is why I have travelled to the Cop29 summit in Baku, to harness international co-operation in order to protect our country’s security and prosperity.

“The UK is wasting no time to accelerate the global transition to clean energy and put us at the forefront of the industries of the future, creating jobs and growth across the country.”

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The latest round of international climate talks come as the United Nations (UN) warned 2024 was set to be the hottest year on record.

As the conference kicked off, the UN’s World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) issued a “red alert” over the speed of climate change in a single generation, as it warned this year would break 2023’s record temperatures.

The WMO said the global average temperature for January to September 2024 was 1.54C above pre-industrial levels, based on analysis from six global datasets.

This breaches a key threshold of 1.5C above pre-industrial temperatures to which countries have committed to limit global warming to avoid its worst impacts, though the WMO said it did not mean the world had failed to meet the goal over the long term.

But temperatures are already at 1.3C of long-term warming above pre-industrial levels, according to initial assessment by experts appointed by the WMO.

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