ALMOST 3,000 people and groups from across Scotland have called for SNP First Minister John Swinney to back a “fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty” to help deliver a “fast and fair” transition.

The call, in the form of an open letter to Mr Swinney, was delivered as protesters and climate groups descended on Holyrood today ahead of First Minister’s Questions.

Signatories ranged from Makar Kathleen Jamie and writers AL Kennedy and Sara Sheridan to organisations such as Global Justice Now and Stop Climate Chaos Scotland.

It calls for: “International co-operation and an agreement to stop new fossil fuel extraction, phase out current production and manage a global transition away from oil, gas and coal in a manner that is both fast and fair, particularly to the global south.

“A fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty could do that.”

Global Justice Now’s Liz Murray said: “The world urgently needs a fair and fast transition away from fossil fuels and to renewable energy.

“Countries most impacted by the climate crisis, yet least responsible for it, are leading the call for a fossil fuel treaty to make this happen, and Scotland must back their proposal.

“The treaty would give a global road map for an energy transition that is fair and leaves no community, country or worker behind.”

Outside Holyrood, the Paperboats writers collective launched paper boats into the ponds with messages urging climate action, while the North Sea Knitters group laid out a 20-metre red scarf representing the red line not to be crossed if a global warming spiral is to be avoided. 

Jan Stacey, of Paperboats, said: “The Scottish writers, poets and storytellers of Paperboats are proud to add our voices to call for the First Minister to back the fossil fuel treaty.

“In this climate emergency, Scotland’s story must be one of being on the side of a liveable planet — and the fossil fuel treaty offers a fair, just and practical way for global communities to come together to do that.”

Fresh from ushering-in legislation to drop her government’s climate target to cut carbon emissions by 75 per cent by 2030 last week, SNP acting net-zero and energy secretary Gillian Martin said: “We are clear that any further extraction and use of fossil fuels must be consistent with Scotland’s climate obligations and just transition commitments.”