Glasgow City Council leader to attend COP28 in Dubai

Glasgow City Council’s leader is set to fly to climate summit COP28 in Dubai this December.

Susan Aitken’s attendance aims to build on relationships with other cities so Glasgow can take part in global debate and continue the legacy of its hosting of COP26.

The council-funded trip is expected to cost about £1,660 and will see Aitken taking part in discussions at the conference between December 3 to 6.

The SNP politician will be accompanied by potentially two officers from the council but the number has yet to be confirmed.

SNP councillor Greg Hepburn said: “It is vital that Glasgow is represented and able to take on a leading role in events like COP.

“The climate crisis is just that – it is a crisis. It will not be solved and more people will be adversely affected worldwide if we don’t unite both domestically and internationally to tackle it.”

The travel was signed off by councillors at the city administration committee.

Councillor Aitken previously went to COP27 in Egypt and took part in a number of events, particularly looking at climate finance.

A council report said: “There are several opportunities for the leader to participate in further discussions at COP28, both as representative of a previous host city and as a recognized voice on the urban dimension of climate action. These activities will again present opportunities for delivering further legacy benefits to the city. ”

The carbon footprint for the journey is about 1.73 tonnes CO2 per person according to the council report.

Councillor Jon Molyneux, Scottish Greens, lodged an amendment at the committee, which was accepted and condemned the UK Government’s approval of the Rosebank oil and gas field.

It also noted the concern of “human rights organisations regarding the hosting of COP28 in UAE in relation to restrictions on protest and on the rights of LGBTQ+ people, and in relation to its oil and gas expansion plans”.

The amendment seconded by Scottish Greens councillor Martha Wardrop asked councillor Aitken to raise the concerns in “any engagement with relevant UAE authorities”.

Conservative councillor John Daly tried to put forward an amendment over the travel bid but it was not accepted.