It’s encouraging to learn that Scots are increasingly aware of the impact of climate change on our beautiful country.
An exclusive poll shared with the Daily Record reveals more than 80 per cent are concerned about the effects of the climate emergency on Scotland’s natural environment.
It’s easy to think, when we hear of the biblical droughts, floods and extreme heat suffered by other countries around the world, that at least it’s not happening to us.
But, while Scotland might not get the worst of the extreme weather brought about by global warming, we will certainly get our share.
Scots are also, rightly, concerned about the impact of pollution on our cities, rivers and skies here at home – and about the consequences of ocean warming, which could be so devastating for our marine life.
And we already see the effects of rising temperatures on Scotland’s nature, with one in nine species at risk of dying out, including beloved creatures such as hedgehogs and puffins.
Hot on the heels of the COP27 summit on climate change in Egypt, which many felt made little or no progress on cutting emissions, next week the COP15 biodiversity conference starts in Canada with a focus on protecting nature.
That summit is crucial. We face a nature emergency as much as a climate emergency and the time for action is now.
Governments at Holyrood, Westminster and around the world must step up to the mark to tackle this crisis – because we’re running out of time.
Picking up pieces
Over the last 12 years of Tory rule vulnerable people have picked up the tab for ideological crusades.
The Cameron government made deficit reduction its priority and cut spending by demonising people on benefits.
The benefits cap and the bedroom tax were appalling examples of a heartless government throwing people under
the bus.
But the worst policy was the “rape clause”, which came about because of the Tories imposing a two-child cap on some benefits.
They created an exemption but only if a woman disclosed they had been raped.
Such a requirement forced women to relive the trauma they experienced and compounded their agony.
So it is good to hear Keir Starmer brand the rape clause “repulsive” and repeat his opposition to it.
One of the first acts of an incoming Labour government should be to scrap this monstrosity and put dignity at the heart of the system.
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