David Stewart: No-one is in any doubt of the scale of climate crisis
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Opening the COP27 Climate Conference, President Sisi of Egypt said: “The planet has become a world of suffering.” Perhaps opening with a negative tone, but undoubtedly a realistic one.
Across the world, climate change has left its deadly signature – devastating floods in Pakistan, severe droughts in Africa, glaciers melting and rising sea levels in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Few of the poorer countries affected by the worst ravages of climate change are responsible for the historic carbon emissions that caused them. Their demand at COP27 is for the polluters in richer, developed nations to pay into a global fund to support poorer developing nations. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has set the ball rolling in Egypt by claiming credit for forcing reparations for global warming on the agenda at the conference.
The First Minister committed a budget of £5 million towards compensating countries affected by climate change. Although previous COP conferences have discussed the issue of loss and damage, it has been on the fringes rather than centre stage.
However, the global energy and cost-of-living crises, partly brought on by the war in Ukraine, may stay the hand of richer countries to make any solid commitment on reparations.
Also, richer countries have failed to fulfil previous commitments to give $100 billion a year to poorer countries by 2020.
No-one is in any doubt of the scale of the crisis facing all nations from climate change. COP26 in Glasgow was a success. COP27 should be judged on whether it delivers on previous high-level and expensive promises rather than on reparations alone, which is an admirable concept, albeit frought with practical difficulties.
Family celebration
Good news on the family front last week: my son Andrew got engaged!
His partner is a medic in a busy city centre hospital in Sacramento, the state capital of California. They are now looking for a house in the bustling and vibrant community of Sacramento, which has a population of over half-a-million. Not sure about wedding location yet… It is a choice between America, India or Scotland. Looks like my kilt will get another day out!
Market makeover
Had a wander through the new Market Hall last Friday. I was very impressed with the top-class refurbishment and classy design.
From childhood onwards, I was always fond of the Victorian Market, from the toy shops to the joke shop, where fancy dress outfits were bought. It is good to see the Old Town flourish.
Road safety support
During my 14 or so years serving as an MSP in the Scottish Parliament, one of my great passions was road safety. I worked with the national road safety charity Brake on everything from graduated driving licence schemes (to protect mainly young drivers) to improving sight tests (to protect mainly older drivers).
So I strongly support local MSP Fergus Ewing’s recent campaign to dual the A9 and A96. He is right to quote the Road Safety Foundation who found that the risk of serious incidents is seven times as great for single-carriageway than on a motorway.
It is clear to me that the SNP government’s alliance with the Greens has stymied dualling on both the A9 and A96.
Do electric cars not need safe driving conditions as well? Surely if dualling saves one life, it is worth doing?
