Tackling climate change vital, says Swinney in warning over ‘dangerous rhetoric'
John Swinney warned dealing with rising global temperatures is 'the biggest challenge of our age', and he called on politicians from all parties to 'recommit' to tackling the problem.
His plea, made as he addressed the Better Society Academy climate conference at The Social Hub in Glasgow, came after UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch claimed it is 'impossible' for Britain to meet its goal of achieving net zero by 2050.
Reform UK meanwhile has pledged to scrap 'net stupid zero' initiatives, with deputy leader Richard Tice echoing the words of US President Donald Trump by saying 'drill, Scotland, drill' when he visited Glasgow earlier this year.
Mr Swinney spoke out against the 'anti-science climate denial approach that we have just now'.
He said: 'I think it's important for all parties to recommit ourselves to tackling one of the great global issues of our time, and ignore the dangerous rhetoric that is growing on the right that sometimes climate action is avoidable.'
Holyrood has committed to reaching net zero five years ahead of the UK in 2045, and Mr Swinney insisted his Government's 'goal is that Scotland's contribution to climate change will end definitively within one generation'.
He said that is happening despite the 'very challenging global context for that particular debate'.
Here, the SNP leader added: 'The journey to net zero is tough enough with the practicalities of what is involved, but the journey to net zero, when that route is disputed and contested and denied, is an even more significant and challenging journey.'
While some 'undermine climate action… in the face of all evidence', the First Minister insisted it is now 'undeniable that extreme weather events are becoming much more frequent'.
He told the conference: 'Here in Scotland, we see an increasing number of named storms, including earlier this year, Storm Eowyn which was the fifth storm of the 2024-25 season and the most powerful wind storm in the United Kingdom in over a decade.
'And it wasn't alone. Further afield, we've recently seen a spate of disasters such as the devastating floods in Valencia, dangerous heatwaves in Japan and flash floods in Pakistan and Brazil.
'Last year, according to the UN's World Meteorological Organisation, extreme weather events across the globe displaced more than 800,000 people.'
Stressing 'every one of us has got a contribution to make to meet the biggest challenge of our age', Mr Swinney added: 'We cannot resign ourselves to a prevailing political debate which seeks to diminish and deny the significance of climate action.
'Climate action is an absolute necessity in our world today if we want to hand on to the world of tomorrow the world we have had the privilege to enjoy today.'
He added this is a responsibility he takes 'deadly seriously' as First Minister, saying such efforts are 'at the heart of my Government's programme'.
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