This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Call for international response to climate change
16/06/2006
Environment Minister Ross Finnie today called on European regions to join an international programme to tackle climate change.
The Montreal Declaration requires governments to set short and long term targets to reduce carbon emissions, share best practice on emissions reductions and emerging technologies and develop existing and new regional partnerships.
Scotland is a signatory to the declaration agreed at the UN Climate Change Leaders Summit in December last year.
Speaking at the Environment Conference of the Regions of Europe (ENCORE) via video to representatives from Italy, Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Finland, among others, Mr Finnie said:
"Scotland is responding seriously to the threat that Climate Change poses to our communities, our economy and our environment.
"Last year we were among the first to set out in the Montreal Declaration how regional governments can work to address a global challenge. In line with that agreement our Climate Change Programme sets the first ever Scottish Target for carbon savings.
"We cannot address climate change on our own. Smaller countries can take advantage of opportunities to bring about change more quickly and set the pace for larger international institutions.
"We are ingraining climate thinking across all departments of the Scottish Executive and we will carbon proof all new policies. We will work with the government of North Rhine Westphalia to lead ENCORE's work on climate change and we look to those European regions represented here to become co-signatories to the Montreal declaration."
Changing Our Ways: Scotland's Climate Change Programme was published on March 30, 2006.
The Montreal Declaration was signed at the UN Climate Leaders Summit on December 6, 2005.
The seventh Environment Conference of the Regions of Europe is being held at Are in Jamtland, Sweden. Scotland and Bavaria, signatories to the Montreal Declaration, are hosting a joint breakfast session to raise awareness of the Declarationand and Encourage other European Ministers to add thair signatures.