Ten days prior to the UN climate conference COP26 opened in Glasgow, the Climate Assembly published Scotland’s Civic Charter on Climate in the Daily Record newspaper, accompanied by an opinion article by co-convener Josh Littlejohn. The Charter was also published as a full-page advertisement in The Scotsman on the first day of COP26.
The Charter is a public statement from respected individuals and organisations across Scottish society and highlights the broad and deep support across Scotland for the Assembly’s vision and recommendations for action. It is addressed to the Scottish Government, Scottish Parliament, and to Scottish society more broadly. You can read the Charter here.
The Charter has over 100 signatories, including national Makar Kathleen Jamie, world-renowned crime writer Val McDermid, Edinburgh City Council, University of Aberdeen, Oxfam Scotland, Royal Society for the Arts Scotland, WWF Scotland, John Muir Trust, National Express, Rock Rose Gin, and Iona Community.
This followed a program of intensive stakeholder outreach and engagement by the Climate Assembly’s secretariat. Signatories were invited to participate in a social media campaign to raise the profile of the Charter and attract further signatories, using the hashtag #SignForScotland. Signatories also supplied quotations explaining their support for the Charter, and these can be read in full below.
A number of Assembly members also expressed their support for the Charter. See their statements below.
