A wildfire in Scotland this summer as scientists warn blazes across the world have produced unprecedented carbon emissions. (Image: Fort Augustus Fire Station)

Inaction will leave the world to burn with climate negotiations underway at COP28

Record View says Scotland would benefit, and could even lead the world, given its booming wind and renewables industry.

by · Daily Record

It looks like the latest round of global climate negotiations at COP28 will stop short of phasing out fossil fuels.

That’s hardly a surprise when the summit in Dubai is being hosted by one of the world’s leading oil exporters – with an oil sheikh leading it to boot.

The event’s controversial leadership has only fanned the flames of the suspicion that the UN climate talks have been hijacked by big oil and big business.

Now, in the face of a burning world and wilder weather - in a year almost certain to be the hottest humans have ever known - our leaders are doing the opposite of rising to the challenge.

Oil-rich nations like Saudi Arabia can’t even bring themselves to agree that, over time, we must “phase out” fossil fuels.

Instead, we have a compromise that pleases few, suggesting a gradual, unspecified reduction in oil, gas and coal by 2050.

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It’s worth pointing out this is the first time any cut in our fossil fuel use has ever been on the table in these talks.

That’s progress and it would have been great 20 or 30 years ago. But it’s simply nowhere close to enough.

Especially when the green energy revolution is just waiting to be embraced. That transition, as we all know from the political jargon, needs to be just – and it can be.

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Scotland would benefit, and could even lead the world, given its booming wind and renewables industry.

But failing to commit to a serious, concrete plan to wean ourselves off fossil fuels will amount to a total failure of policy and diplomacy.

Leaving the world to burn – while our leaders put their heads in the sand.

Deadly pill alert

The US has been in the grip of an opioid crisis for nearly 20 years – with millions of families affected.

Now a super-strenth synthetic opioid has emerged as a killer here in Scotland.

Nine Scots, including a 16-year-old boy, have died as a result of taking the potent drug Nitazene.

Produced illegally and bought over the internet, this drug can be 600 times stronger than heroin and can kill with the tiniest dose. There needs to be a major multi-agency approach to make sure this drug does not get a grip in Scotland.

We have already witnessed an explosion of drug deaths due to fake valium use in recent years.

For too long that problem was brushed under the carpet until highlighted by the Daily Record.

We can’t repeat the same mistakes with Nitazene – and that means parents, young people, addiction services and police all playing their part in restricting the spread of this deadly drug.

Internet providers also need to make sure that the online dealers are stopped in their tracks.

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