The US path back into the climate fold
As the world breaks more temperature records, the world turns to see what President Biden might offer on climate change.
Read MoreScotland’s new climate law
MSPs in the Scottish Parliament passed a new Climate Change Bill on Wednesday 25th September 2019. But to tackle the climate crisis, Scotland must act faster and commit to radical transformation in the next decade.
Read about the final outcome
We know that climate change is affecting people today.
Communities are already experiencing the impacts of man-made climate change, especially in the global South, but also increasingly here in Europe. Those least responsible for causing climate change are harmed first and worst.
Friends of the Earth believes that European and other rich industrialised countries who are most responsible for causing climate change, must do their fair share to act first and fastest to combat climate change in ways that do not deepen social injustice. Scotland must play its part.
Scotland’s new Climate Law
The science is clear. To limit global warming we need urgent action in the next decade.
But the Scottish Government’s draft climate law, published in May 2018, kicks climate action into the long grass and pushes the burden for tackling climate change onto future generations.
We’re working to ensure the new Climate Change Act delivers our fair share of global greenhouse gas cuts, and builds a just transition towards a fairer, healthier, zero-carbon Scotland.
To set Scotland on a path consistent with the Paris Agreement aims of limiting global warming to 1.5C, this new law needs to set stronger targets, together with new policies to deliver rapid emissions cuts.
Set stronger targets to cut climate emissions
Commit to urgent climate action
What have we won so far?
The Bill must pass through three stages in the Scottish Parliament before it can become law; during which time all MSPs will have the chance to debate, vote and suggest improvements to the Climate Bill.
Currently, we’re about to enter Stage 3 of the process. This means that all MSPs will debate potential changes to the Bill in the form of amendments. This will be last chance to improve the Bill so it’s crucial that people keep pushing their MSPs to deliver the changes needed.
In March, the Parliament’s Environment & Climate Change committee published a report based on evidence from a wide variety of experts and stakeholders on what more Scotland could and should do to tackle climate change. You can see reaction to this report here.
MSPs then debated and backed the general principles of the Bill in Parliament. You can see the transcript of that Stage 1 debate here.
To improve the Bill, we need to work with all parties in the Parliament. Please help by emailing your MSP and asking them to support stronger targets.
The final debate on the Bill could be before the end of September 2019. We need to keep up the pressure throughout the final weeks of this process. Read Caroline’s blog on what more needs to happen
This 30 minute webinar with Caroline (FoES) and Ryan from Stop Climate Chaos explains what is going on with the Climate Bill.
To win this campaign we need people power.
Growing movements for climate action, like the youth climate strikes, help to put pressure on our politicians to act.
Together, we can make sure Scotland steps up climate action to play our part in tackling the climate crisis and build a better future for everyone.
Get involved!
Email or visit your MSP, and tell them why you care about climate change.
Join a local group campaigning for climate action.