Nicola Sturgeon pledges action on climate change in pitch to youth at COP26

Nicola Sturgeon has pledged to do all she can to tackle climate change “no matter how difficult that is” in a pitch to young climate activists.

The First Minister admitted Scotland “must do more”, but said the country was “already acting” to mitigate the impact of the climate crisis.

The SNP leader made the promise at COP26 on the conference’s Youth and Public Empowerment Day in Glasgow on Friday.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has pledged action on climate change.

Widespread protests are due to take place in Glasgow on Friday, with Greta Thunberg – the Swedish climate activist and school striker – set to address crowds at a city centre rally that is expected to see 10,000 people attend.

Friday will see Ms Sturgeon take part in several events around the climate change conference, including appearing at Youngo, the youth arm of the UN’s climate change efforts.

She joined COP26 UK president Alok Sharma and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change chair Patricia Espinosa to receive a Global Youth Statement written by young people, setting out the actions they want world leaders to take to tackle the climate crisis.

This statement followed the UN Climate Change Conference of Youth in Glasgow, which was hosted by the Scottish Government and involved the input of 40,000 young people.

Ms Sturgeon will also attend a Malala Fund event in the publicly accessible ‘Green Zone’ of COP26, where she will meet Fatou Jeng, a climate activist in Gambia.

The First Minister said: “Young people across the globe are crying out for change. Today, I pledge to do what I can to deliver that change, no matter how difficult that is.

“In Scotland, we are already acting to tackle the climate emergency, but as we have heard from children and young people this week from Scotland and round the globe, is it not enough and we must do more.

“To bring about the changes that are so urgently required, it is vital that governments engage with children and young people, encourage their participation and work with them.

“The decisions we make and the actions we take affect them – they have a right to be part of that process.

"I commit to ongoing and meaningful engagement between the Scottish Government and children and young people just as we have done during COP – to turn being heard into being involved in decision-making and holding leaders to account long after COP26 has ended.”

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