Scottish Catholic Observer

The First Minister said that climate change was making the planet’s economic inequalities far worse.

“Climate change exacerbates the vast gulf in resources which already exist across our planet, but it also gives us an opportunity. Climate change highlights our true interdependence and must lead to real change,” he said. “Climate change is the issue above all issues which illustrates humankind’s interconnectedness across national boundaries. Climate is no respecter of border posts, cyclones don’t turn back at passport control. In response we need a greater shared ownership of both the problem and the solution.”

Mr Salmond also told his Chinese hosts it was vital to connect economic development to greater human rights.

“Climate justice is what is required, linking human rights and development, putting people at the heart of our economic system, and allowing all to share the burdens and benefits of climate change and its resolution, and to do so in an equitable and fair way,” he said. “People in developing countries must have access to opportunities to adapt to the impacts of climate change, and not be told to ‘do as I say, not as I did’ by the rich and powerful developed countries.”

Patrick Grady, SCIAF’s advocacy manager, said Mr Salmond’s words were a timely intervention.

“Many of the issues raised by the First Minister in his speech in China are central to SCIAF’s work on climate change,” he said. “There are clear links between dangerous climate change, poverty and human rights, the severity and disproportionate impact borne by women in developing countries. As the First Minister stated, the industrialised countries responsible for anthropogenic climate change have a moral duty to take urgent action.”

Mr Grady also said that the First Minister concerns echoed many of the themes of SCIAF’s recent campaigning work.

“As numerous campaigns by SCIAF and Stop Climate Chaos Scotland have highlighted in recent years, climate change is an issue of justice,” Mr Grady said. “Industrialised countries urgently need to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and provide new adaptation funding to help developing countries cope with the challenges of climate change as lives and livelihoods are already at great risk. SCIAF welcomes the First Minister’s enthusiasm and commitment to creating a Scottish climate adaptation fund to support communities in developing countries. We look forward to receiving news on the concrete steps the government will take to make this fund a reality.”