Scottish Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham has urged the UK government to without delay implement the landmark measures agreed last year as part of the Paris Agreement.
With the United States and China having confirmed their ratification of the Paris Agreement , Secretary Cunningham has written to Greg Clark, the UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Policy, calling for the UK to show continued leadership through swift ratification, Scottish government informed.
Cunningham said: “It’s essential that the momentum and consensus for global efforts to tackle climate change that was so hard won in Paris is not lost by a slow pace of implementation. That is why I welcome the ratification by the United States and China.
“There is growing concern that any unnecessary delay in the UK ratification will diminish its position as a world leader in tackling global climate change. It also risks sending the wrong signal to the low carbon sector and the investment community at a time when confidence is already low on the back of policy changes at UK level.
“The UK can and should continue to show leadership and I urge the UK government to complete the domestic ratification process ahead of the next meeting in November. Meanwhile the Scottish Government will continue to press ahead with our ambitious efforts to tackle climate change in Scotland.”
The Paris Agreement is the first ever global and legally binding climate agreement which aims to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees, while increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development.
As of September 3, 2016, the Paris Agreement has 180 signatories, according to the Scottish government.