First Minister to participate in COP28

First Minister Humza Yousaf intends to participate in COP28, the international climate change conference, in Dubai at the end of the month.

Mr Yousaf said the global conference provides an opportunity to highlight Scotland’s commitment to addressing the twin crises of climate and nature as a good global citizen, as he pledged to call on world leaders to take greater action and provide loss and damage funding for countries suffering the worst impacts of climate change.

The Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition Mairi McAllan will also participate in the Conference to showcase the progress Scotland is making to deliver a just transition to next zero and continuing work to build renewables and hydrogen industries.

A delegation of Scottish companies from across a variety of sectors, including renewable energy, will accompany the First Minister at COP28 to highlight Scotland’s global reputation and attract investment in Scotland.

Confirmation of participation at COP28 follows a meeting of the First Minister’s Environmental Council and today’s ministerial meeting with environment NGOs.

First Minister Humza Yousaf said:

“COP28 provides an opportunity to underline Scotland’s commitment to being a good global citizen, and making a constructive contribution to addressing global challenges such as the biodiversity and the climate crisis.

“The Scottish Government will use COP28 to call on all to urgently step up to address the injustice at the heart of climate change by supporting those communities who are suffering the most but have done the least to cause climate impacts, including through our leadership on loss and damage.

“That is why the gathering of the global community at COP28 is so important. Only by working together can we meet the need and urgency of the task that lies ahead. We simply do not have time to work alone when it comes to our just transition to net-zero.

“COP28 also allows the Scottish Government to advance international relations and build partnerships. Scottish companies will be attending to enhance Scotland’s global reputation, particularly on renewable energy. It’s also an opportunity to attract investment in strategic net zero sectors in Scotland.”

Background

Details of the Ministerial programme is currently being finalised. Further operational information, including ministerial itineraries, will be available to news organisations in due course.

For security reasons, the First Minister’s full travel arrangements are not made public in advance, however details about Ministerial travel and engagements are proactively published online.