Nicola Sturgeon said the United Nations Climate Change summit in Glasgow later this year must produce a “global agreement” to tackle climate change.
She said it is an opportunity that must be seized to produce an international response to an international emergency.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon calls for 'collaboration' in climate crisis fight ahead of Glasgow COP26
Speaking at a Green Alliance event in preparation for the COP 26 she said: “We must come out of COP 26 with a global agreement with a detailed plan of action the world is committed to that will, as a minimum, meet the Paris Agreement.
“I don’t think anybody underestimates the challenge.”
Ms Sturgeon said that while Scotland had set the most ambitious targets of any other country, she recognised only action will make a difference.
And she said that no country on its own can make that difference.
The First Minister said: “It is in the interest of the planet. No singe county, certainly not Scotland can tackle climate change on its own. But every country has a duty to step up.”
She setting targets was the “relatively east part” adding “it’s what we do to meet them” that counts.
The Scottish Government has a target of net zero emissions by 2045 and an interim target of a 75% reduction by 2030.
As Glasgow begins preparations to welcome the biggest gathering of world leaders ever on UK soil for the summit in November, Ms Sturgeon said that the transition from a carbon-based economy to Net zero emissions have to be done without causing damage to communities.
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She said: “I grew up in Ayrshire in the 1970s and 80s and saw the impact of de-industrialisation. Some Communities still bear the scars today. We must ensure the transition to net zero is handled differently.”
The First Minister said she wanted to work collaboratively with the UK Government, which is the host, to deliver the Summit to have the maximum impact possible.
She said: “I personally, and my government is committed to working closely with the UK Government in preparing logistically and politically for COP 26. We have a duty to everything we can to make it a success.”
Ms Sturgeon said she hoped that the agenda could move on from “squabbles”. She said if there was a sense of governments squabbling following reports about disputes over the use of the Glasgow Science Centre then we should “reset that and move forward in the right spirit.”
She refused to comment on questions from the media on an alleged personal insult by Boris Johnson towards Ms Sturgeon .
Ms Sturgeon said: “If Boris Johnson wants to make personal insults about me, I’m a big enough girl to make them back on other occasions. “There’s plenty of issues Boris Johnson and I could have squabbles about this shouldn’t be one of them.”
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