Scottish Government at COP26: What was achieved?

Hosting diplomatic discussions

COP26 offered Scotland the opportunity to strengthen its international and multilateral relationships and position Scotland as a credible leader and partner in tackling global climate action.

The Scottish Government held a series of engagements with international leaders from other governments, states and regions to establish new partnerships, give leadership to key issues and share unique expertise and technical capacity. Activity focussed on deepening engagement with those from Europe (particularly Nordic countries), North America and those from the Global South.

Objectives

7 Build and strengthened partnerships and connections at a global level

9 Enhance Scotland’s profile as a global climate leader

Over the course of the conference, approximately 150 international government engagements and over 65 bilaterals were held. The First Minister met with approximately 25 Heads of State and Governments and representatives from approximately 50 countries by arrangement and many more through brush-by. These include the US, Canada, Malawi, Zambia, France, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Spain, Belgium, Costa Rica, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India, as well as multilateral institutions like EU and UN.

Other Scottish ministers also met with their counterparts of several national and subnational governments to discuss joint working on different policy areas such as offshore wind energy; hydrogen; green buildings; Just Transition; the Under 2 Coalition, and the circular economy. In these meetings Scottish policies and reports such as the draft Hydrogen Action Plan; the Offshore Wind policy statement; the Just Transition Commission report, and Citizens Assembly report, were highlighted and shared. These meetings have built new connections, and opened up the possibility for follow-up discussions and collaboration.

Establishing connections with North America (Objectives 7, 9)

Key activity which established the potential for greater connections with the North America, include:

• A meeting with the US Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy which has opened up the opportunity to directly engage after COP26 with the US Directorate of Energy on renewables and other areas of collaboration.
• Meetings with the California delegation which resulted in California signing up to the Edinburgh Declaration and which have also opened opportunities for extended engagement on adaptation, biodiversity and energy.

Establishing connections in Europe (Objectives 7, 9)

Key activity which established the potential for greater connections with Europe, particularly Nordic countries, include:

• A meeting between Cabinet Secretary Matheson and Iceland’s former Environment Minister, which identified potential for greater knowledge exchange between Scotland and Iceland, particularly in the areas of hydrogen; offshore wind; national park governance, and peatland restoration, and follow-up engagements are being discussed.
• The Nordic Council of Ministers, via their Nordic Energy Research agency, agreeing to financially support the participation of Scottish experts in two of their upcoming projects that build on event held during COP26, focusing on net-zero islands and the decarbonisation of maritime transport respectively.
• The facilitation of discussions between Transport Scotland and officials from Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark to inform the upcoming publication of Scotland’s new aviation strategy.

Establishing connections with the Global South (Objectives 7, 9)

Key activity which established the potential for greater connections with the Global South, include:

• A reception co-hosted by the Scotland Malawi Partnership with the President and First Lady of Malawi, Councillor Frank Ross, Rt. Hon. Lord Provost and Lord Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh, and SNP MSPs to celebrate Scotland-Malawi climate cooperation at COP26.
• A meeting between Minister McAllan and the Special Envoy from the Climate Vulnerable Forum, committing to future collaboration around loss and damage.