WIREDGOV

Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin has set out her intention to attend the COP31 UN Climate Summit in Turkey next month where she will call for fairer global climate finance and more funding for loss and damage.

Championing climate justice, Ms Martin intends to highlight the importance of global action, alongside the need for increased, fairer and more accessible finance for affected communities. This includes support for locally led action that puts women, disabled people, and Indigenous Peoples at the heart of climate solutions.

The Scottish Government has already delivered £36 million for climate justice, including £10 million for loss and damage, in the last parliamentary term.

Ms Martin will also:

• highlight Scotland’s expertise and leadership in community-led climate action, including at the Subnational Investment Forum and the Regions4 Board of Chairs meeting
• call for reform of the global debt system, which prevents climate-vulnerable countries from investing in resilience
• work with partners in the Global South to help amplify their key priorities in the negotiations
• demonstrate leadership on climate justice in how we are strengthening protection for people and livelihoods through loss and damage, adaptation, and disability inclusion events

Ms Martin said:

"Communities in the Global South have done the least to cause the climate crisis but are undoubtedly facing its worst impacts. That is why the Scottish Government will continue to champion climate justice, increasing our Climate Justice Fund from £36 million in the last Parliament – including our world-leading focus  on addressing loss and damage - to support communities in the Global South.

"Unsustainable debt repayments are stopping those in the Global South investing in health, education and infrastructure, and the global finance architecture must change if we are going to increase climate resilience.  As President of Regions 4 and outgoing European co-chair of the Under2 coalition, my priority is to build international capacity, share learning and offer support to our partners in the Global South where climate finance is needed the most.”

Amanda Grimm, advocacy lead for Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, said:  

“It is important that Scotland is represented at COP31 at this critical juncture for climate action. Across the world the impacts of climate change are devastating lives and pushing the people least responsible for causing the problem deeper into poverty.

“As the first developed country to pledge funding for climate loss and damage, Scotland can continue to play a leading role by working with other sub-national governments to grow support for the most vulnerable countries. Small nations can play an outsized part in advancing international climate action.”

Mark Barrell, Director of Advocacy, CBM UK-Global Disability Inclusion, said:

“Scotland’s leadership on climate justice including understanding that it cannot be achieved without disability inclusion is welcome. We welcome Scotland’s attendance at COP31 to advocate at a global stage for fairer funding for people most affected by the climate crisis and to support the disability movement, particularly from the Global South to secure greater representation at the global level.

“We welcome the Scottish Government’s leadership on delivering disability-inclusive climate justice programmes through its Climate Justice Fund.”

Background

The 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) will be held in Antalya, Türkiye, from November 9 to 20, 2026.