SCOTIA GROUP

The Scotia Group

An independent, non-partisan network of leaders within law, politics, academia, and business, working together in solidarity to help make the UN Climate Change Conference (COP) meaningful, successful, and impact driven.

The Scotia Group was founded in 2021, in the run up to COP26, by Professor Malik Dahlan, an international lawyer and professor, as well as a member of the Council of Advisors at RAND Europe.

By gathering former heads of state, political leaders, renowned academics and internationally recognised climate and governance experts, the Group was formed with the ambition to bring together ideas that can inform and enhance the inter-governmental COP process.

As COP28 is approaching, Scotia Group members have come together in a series of online Climate Majlis Dialogues to continue to deliberate the climate challenge and find innovative ideas. These discussions aim to spur the radical change necessary to meet the urgency of the climate emergency, while remaining realistic and not threatening existing consensus.

Members have worked on a refined mandate, which has a narrower focus, and have identified the need for continued exploration of alternative power generation strategies and financing mechanisms. The goal is that the Group continues to help facilitate the sustainable global energy transition over the next 10-30 years.

The Scotia Forum

On Thursday 11th November 2021, during COP26, the Scotia Group hosted a special online event:
Solidarity in overcoming the intergenerational emergency
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Alan Cumming OBE FRSE

During a time when world attention is focused on the Covid-19 pandemic, and facilitated by the new normalcy of remote collaboration, this group of global citizens came together in an effort to productively apply their expertise and harness new opportunities presented in these circumstances.

Addressing the global climate crisis was agreed upon as the Group’s focus, and the meeting concluded by stressing the need for an initiative that underscores the importance of the rule of law as a driver for real and impactful climate action.

In light of the overwhelming scientific evidence that there is now less than a decade to collectively facilitate a historic, global energy transition, the Group aims to lay some foundations and seek out specific, bold and achievable policies, that link the global rule of law to climate action.

It is hoped these efforts will help to encourage global solidarity and unearth solutions which will avert the worst consequences of the climate crisis, a historic and unprecedented concern shared by all countries and communities.

Our Mission Statement

“To launch initiatives that inspire urgent climate action by assembling a collective of experts to “Sherpa” the COP process to make it meaningful, successful and impact driven.”

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Professor Louise Richardson became Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford on 1 January 2016, having previously served as Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews, Scotland, for seven years. Professor Richardson’s research specialises in international security with a particular emphasis on terrorist movements.

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About Us

The Scotia Group is a global network of leaders in law, politics, academia, and business who hope to seek out specific, bold and achievable policies, that link the global rule of law to climate action.

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Climate Majlis Dialogues

The Scotia Group is driven by an ethos that relies on the spirit of engagement, responsiveness and good will. This will be achieved through strategic dialogues in our unique Climate Majlis format, inspired by traditional Arabic gatherings.

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Scotia Group Members

The Scotia Group is proud of its diverse global network of members who are both established and emerging leaders in law, politics, academia and business.

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The Scotia Fellows Prize

This award encouraged innovative policy proposals from those under the age of 35 on what laws, projects, or technologies could be employed to both protect the rule of law and achieve net-zero by 2050.

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