Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill has said she is delighted to be ‘playing her part’ in relation to the climate at COP26 in Glasgow.
Sinn Fein ’s leader in the north took her seat alongside 120 world leaders for the official opening ceremony of their summit.
Later she launched her party’s energy policy from the Glasgow event.
Ms O’Neill told the Mirror: “I think it’s so important that we act now and that’s the clear message from all the climate change activists here today - particularly those who took part.
“They were so passionate. People’s homes are being eroded and people are starving and we have a huge problem on our hands.
“We all need to put our shoulder to the wheel to do something about it.
“This is something that impacts each and every one of us. We have to think about our children and our grandchildren and all those that come after us.
“We have to heed the warning signs.
“The message from the young activists, in particular, is so, so powerful and I have listened to so many of their testimonies today.
“Everything they have known is being swept away. It takes us all to act locally but think about the impacts we are all having globally.”
As well as supporting the Executive Green Growth strategy, Ms O’Neill launched her party’s energy strategy at the Scottish Events Campus yesterday.
It is based around the principles of a just transition, rural and urban equity, public and community ownership of energy and renewable resources, all-island cooperation and modernisation as well as a green, new deal.
And sets a net-zero target “by at least 2050” as well as a ‘one-stop shop’ climate agency and empowering the utility regulator to promote decarbonisation.
MLA Caoimhe Archibald who was involved in the plan’s development said: “The crisis in energy costs currently really highlights the need to move away from fossil fuels and rapidly upscale our renewable capacity.”
She says this must be done on the basis of a just transition and that “those who can least afford it must not be left behind”.
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