SCOTIA GROUP

The formation of the Scotia Group

The Scotia Group was convened following a meeting of the Quraysh Council of Overseers on 21 January 2021. One of the few upsides of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore a humanitarian sense of a “linked fate” and a renewed impetus towards international solidarity, to make individuals, communities and multilateral institutions better and more effective.

The Scotia Group

Believes that the 26th United Nations Conference for Climate Change (COP26) to be hosted in Glasgow in November marks ‘T minus 9’ years that represents the urgent need to reduce emissions by half before 2030 by which time the energy transition should be well underway.

The goals of the Scotia Group

In the lead-up to Glasgow COP26, the Scotia Group will convene a series of Climate Majlis Dialogue sessions where a diverse range of global experts will explore a variety of subjects relating to Climate Action and the Rule of Law.

The Scotia Group has partnered with Friends to convene each of these Majlis dialogues, including Alan Turing Institute, the Transatlantic Leadership Network, MIT, University of Oxford, Harvard University, University of St. Andrews, and the International Bar Association.

The aim of these discussions is to champion key areas relating to the rule of law, which policy experts believe could be harnessed to positively ‘move the dial’ and help avoid a 1.5°C rise in global temperatures by 2030. It also aims to look at the process challenges and institutional complexities of climate action to help catalyse action.

The methods of the Scotia Group

Following the conclusion of the Climate Majlis Dialogues, a communique will be drafted by the Scotia Group, which will incrementally amass and incorporate the most relevant and dynamic suggestions from each session. In addition, members of the Scotia Group are encouraged to put forward their own proposals for consideration and discussion by the rest of the Group and the Fellows. Proposals can be accessed here. It is hoped that the communique will include bold and transformative recommendations which can be put into effect after the Glasgow Summit concludes.

At this point, the COP process will be handed over to Africa for COP27 and the Scotia Group aims to contribute a ‘tool kit’ framework which can be applied in more detail as discussions turn to the topic of vulnerable communities. A particular focus for the Group is considering the practical ways that the law can be used as a tool for climate protection.

A priority for theScotia Group is to underline how the UK, both as a leading democracy and as President of COP26, can serve as role model of using the rule of law to advance global environmental interests.

The Scotia Group Inception Commission

The Hon. Kirsty Duncan MP

The Honourable Kirsty Duncan is Deputy Leader of the Canadian Parliament and a Member of Parliament for Etobicoke North. She served on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which was jointly awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore.

Dean Adil Najam

Dean Adil Najam is the inaugural Dean of the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, founded in 2014. He is also a Professor of International Relations and of Earth and Environment.

Dr Andy Kerr

Dr Andy Kerr leads EIT Climate-KIC – Europe’s largest public-private innovation partnership – in UK and Ireland. He co-founded and directed the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI) and co-directed Scotland’s Centre of Expertise on Climate Change (ClimateXChange).

Howard Covington

Howard Covington is the chair of ClientEarth, Europe’s leading public interest environmental law firm and of the Alan Turing Institute, the UK’s national institute for AI and data science.

Prof. Dr. Malik Dahlan

Professor Malik Dahlan is the Principal of Institution Quraysh for Law and Policy. He trained as an international lawyer focusing on international trade law, transnational legal problems and investment law.

The Scotia Group Secretariat

Annie Dunster
Programme Director

Hattie Wilson
Majlis and Membership Coordinator

Alex Just
iPlatform Chair

Scotia Group Friend Institutions