Seòmar agus comataidhean

Yes, I have a question on the geopolitics of the situation, particularly in relation to the way in which India was seen but also to the commitments from those states that are reliant on oil and gas, compared to those that are dependent on coal. If more commitments had come from the countries that are reliant on oil and gas, would that have shifted the dial a bit when it came to commitments on coal?

There was a lot of discussion at COP about nature-based solutions, and some of that discussion is reflected in the agreement. How will that be taken forward at the biodiversity COP? There are concerns, particularly on the part of indigenous leaders, about the credibility of market mechanisms under article 6 of the Paris agreement.

What are your impressions of the launch of the Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance?

Actually, if it is okay, perhaps I can wrap up that question with another one. I was asking about the wording

“inefficient fossil fuel subsidies”

and how that is defined. Earlier, Jim Skea talked about the fact that subsidies can be used in a social context or an economic context. What is your perspective on that?

The second question that I would like to ask you directly, if you can still hear me, is about geopolitics in relation to India. After the agreement and the kind of breakdown of process at the last minute, quite quickly we saw India being blamed for watering down the commitment on fossil fuels in the agreement. Do you see an inequality there, given that the states that are perhaps putting pressure on India to reduce coal have had all the benefits of development of oil and gas over the past 200 years and are still developing them? I am interested in your perspective on both those issues, which are really about global equality and where things sit politically.

I found it useful for the regulations to be referred to the committee, because I think that there is a wider issue about the processes for traffic regulation orders being pretty cumbersome and time consuming, particularly for council officers.

I note that reform of this type of order will enhance the ability of members of the public to offer their views on the experimental orders that are being put in place, and that can form part of councils’ decision making on whether they should be taken forward in future. It is a welcome first step in amending these particular orders and making them fit for purpose.

The launch of the Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance was a seminal moment in Glasgow because, for the first time, it sent a message to coal-dependent states such as India that richer states such as our own are prepared to phase out oil and gas production with a just transition. The Danish minister who launched the alliance said:

“How can you be on a path to carbon neutrality but still aim to produce oil and gas to sell to others?”

Does the First Minister agree with that perspective, and when will Scotland join the alliance?

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government will be doing to amplify the voices of the global south at the 26th United Nations climate change conference of the parties—COP26. (S6F-00367)

It is clear that the Scottish Government is showing leadership. However, the global south has been clear that a just transition away from fossil fuels that leaves nobody behind must also be a priority at the COP.

Let us look at what other small nations of around 5 million people are doing by using their full powers over energy. New Zealand, Denmark, Ireland and Costa Rica are all moving on from the era of oil and gas. The case for independence rests on Scotland proudly joining them as a world leader in that real just transition. Does the First Minister agree?

The politics and the action have to be in line with the science, and so far, they are nowhere close.

The Scottish Parliament’s post-COP legacy to the young climate strikers, the global south, and the world will be to double down on our climate plans, take responsibility, drive a real just transition, and deliver the system change that is needed to tackle climate change. The hard work has barely begun.

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its discussions with the Danish Government regarding the Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance. (S6O-00277)