The UK Government, devolved nations, and regional mayors should convene a ‘COPUK’ summit to accelerate the drive towards a carbon-neutral nation, Our Scottish Future is proposing today.
The call is supported today by former Scottish Green party leader Robin Harper and two of England’s metro mayors who are urging UK Ministers to bring together politicians from across the nation to agree a joined-up plan to slash emissions.
The UK Government, devolved nations, and regional mayors should convene a ‘COPUK’ summit to accelerate the drive towards a carbon-neutral nation, Our Scottish Future is proposing today.
The call is supported today by former Scottish Green party leader Robin Harper and two of England’s metro mayors who are urging UK Ministers to bring together politicians from across the nation to agree a joined-up plan to slash emissions.
An Our Scottish Future report last month found that carbon cuts in Scotland are stagnating and said deeper cooperation between Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland was urgently required, including a new Office of Climate Responsibility.
Metro Mayor of Liverpool City Region Steve Rotherham and the Mayor of South Yorkshire Dan Jarvis today say a shared approach by all layers of government in the UK would help all parts of the nation.
Under the proposal, a ‘COPUK’ summit would agree a regulatory framework for the green transition and make sure UK spending is distributed equitably across the UK.
Mr Harper said: “The COP26 conference in Glasgow demonstrated once again that we cannot make change happen in the world without making it together. New global commitments on coal, on deforestation, and on support for developing nations have emerged in the last two weeks. They are all examples of nations laying aside their narrow self-interest to work for the common good.”
“We must ensure that this legacy is kept alive on our own shores over the coming months. None of the nations of the United Kingdom are currently doing enough to meet exacting targets to reduce carbon emissions. All of them – Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland – will only achieve their goals if they work in step – by bringing together expertise, finance, and resources to drive the green revolution.”
“We therefore call for a ‘COPUK’ to be staged within the next 12 months so that the UK Government, the devolved governments, and regional mayors can coordinate the historic step-change to a carbon neutral Britain.”
Mr Rotheram said: “Earlier this month, leaders from around the world came together at COP26 to try and chart our planet’s course toward net zero. Throughout those two weeks, the Prime Minister and government spoke a lot about co-operation and uniting in the face of the biggest threat any of us will ever face.”
“Today, we’re calling on the government to show that same spirit of common purpose by bringing together leaders from within the UK to help supercharge our own march to net zero. We should be setting an example for rest of the world to follow.”
“Mayors, councils and local leaders are at the forefront of the Green Industrial Revolution. COP UK would allow us all to put party politics aside and work together for the good of our planet. “
“I can think of nowhere better to host that conference than the Liverpool City Region. From large scale decarbonisation projects like Mersey Tidal Power and HyNet, to grassroots engagement and empowerment, we are showing the rest of the country how to take capture the public’s imagination while take meaningful action to save the environment.”
Mr Jarvis said: “To reach Net Zero we desperately need local decision-making backed up by a nation-wide strategy. Just as world leaders came together in Glasgow to set out plans for the world, we now need leaders across the UK to come together to map out a road to net zero for Britain.”
