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Daily Record
Daily Record
Politics
Andy Philip

SNP climate conference climb-down after row over Glasgow venue for COP26 summit

The SNP have climbed down in a row with the UK Government over using Glasgow science centre as the base for a major UN climate change conference.

The two administrations had been at loggerheads after the Scottish Government got in first to reserve the venue for COP26 later this year.

The summit will be held at the Scottish Events Campus, which includes the Armadillo and SSE Hydro , with a ring of steel expected around a huge area of the city.

The Scottish Government booked the popular science venue but were then told the UK Government needed more space.

Announcing the change of plan in Holyrood, Scottish Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: "In recent weeks, significant progress had been made towards agreement of a shared space.

"However, at the end of last week, it became clear that sharing the Glasgow Science Centre is no longer an option for the UK Government, placing the centre in a difficult position.

"We have no desire for uncertainty to continue, as we have always been clear that COP26 should transcend politics.

“In the spirit of partnership, I have written to the COP26 President to offer the transfer of control of the Science Centre to the UK Government on the provision that we are offered an appropriate alternative venue."

The global event is still planned to go ahead despite fears over the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

Green MSP Mark Ruskell said the conference shouldn't be overshadowed by a "territorial bun-fight".

He said: "I am pleased that the COP26 is still set to come to Glasgow, but the only new information we were offered today is that the UK and Scottish Governments are squabbling over who will use the Glasgow Science Centre.

"We don’t have time for territorial bunfights. Both governments should be focusing their efforts on how to transform our economy quickly to provide an emergency response to the climate crisis. We need climate ambition not constitutional attrition this October."

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