2016 was the hottest year on record. This surpassed the record set by 2015, which in turn beat 2014. People all over the world, including here in Scotland, are starting to feel the deadly effects of climate change.

Without a radical transformation of our economies and energy systems we face devastating climate change. This puts our ability to grow enough food at risk, increasing political instability and wiping out tens of thousands of plant and animal species.

What’s more, it is usually those who contributed least to the causes of climate change who will suffer most from its impacts.

The Scottish Parliament set world leading climate targets in 2009 and since then we’ve made huge strides in developing renewable energy alternatives to dirty fossil fuels. But we now know that climate action here in Scotland is not nearly enough to do our fair share of the global fight to halt catastrophic warming.

This year, Scotland has an opportunity to lead the way as we develop a new climate law. If we can show that tackling climate change means acting together to build a fairer and more equal society, we can encourage other nations to get on board and create an unstoppable momentum for change.