Al Gore to address Scottish low-carbon event

FORMER US vice-president Al Gore is to address a conference in Scotland at which experts and policymakers will discuss how new technologies can guard against damaging climate change.

Gore, a climate-change campaigner and Nobel laureate, was yesterday confirmed as a keynote speaker at the Scottish Low Carbon Investment Conference (SCLI) in Edinburgh.

The conference, supported by the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise, is an international forum for emerging renewable energy and low-carbon markets.

Now in its second year, the SLCI event, which takes place at Edinburgh International Conference Centre on 27 and 28 September, will be opened by First Minister Alex Salmond. He said: "Scotland is a world leader in the fast-growing low-carbon sectors. Our huge clean energy resources and established industrial expertise mean we are well-placed to seize the considerable opportunities presented by low-carbon industries.

"I am delighted former vice-president Gore will be attending."

WWF Scotland's director Dr Richard Dixon said: "Al Gore's attendance confirms Scotland's place as a player of global significance in both renewable energy and on climate change targets.

"While he will no doubt have many positive things to say it will not escape his notice that the government's climate action plan is not yet good enough to actually deliver on these world-leading targets."