SCOTTISH independence could be at risk from elite interests who ignore the climate change crisis, campaigners have warned.

While one of the outcomes would be a new position in global politics, there is a danger an independent Scotland could be “captured” by those who would not challenge the current system.

The warning was given yesterday at the Scottish Independence and the Path to Climate Justice workshop, organised as part of the COP26 Coalition’s Global Gathering: Taking Action Now campaign.

“We can’t let an independent foreign policy mean ingratiating ourselves with powerful countries and entering the race-to-the-bottom on workers’ rights and taxation. Instead, an independent Scotland should be brave and fight for climate justice for everyone, everywhere,” said Katie Gallogly-Swan, policy coordinator of the Global Green New Deal.

She said although an independent Scotland could have a seat on institutions like the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation and the International Monetary Fund, global governance was currently not advancing the rights and interests of the majority of the world – whether that was working class communities in Scotland or the citizens of the Global South who had contributed least to climate change but were suffering the worst health and economic consequences.

Gallogly-Swan said the persistence of imperialism, particularly in the global economic architecture, could be resisted by an independent Scotland in solidarity with formerly colonised countries in the interests of a more equitable future everywhere.

But she warned: “There is a huge risk independence would be captured by elite or ignorant interests who would not challenge the system that is hurtling us towards extinction.”

Mim Black of Climate Camp Scotland said the campaigns for independence and climate justice must both be committed to tackling the root causes of the injustices the world faced, whether it was climate injustice, economic injustice or racial injustice.

She said it was a potentially transformative time that could lead to radical change.

“Our global political-economic system has pushed us past breaking point where inequality is not only accepted but indeed required for profit, and those profits – mostly of large corporations – hold vastly more political weight than any needs of the people,” said Black.