ALEX Salmond's Alba Party will take the case for Scottish independence to a massive climate change protest which will be attended by Greta Thunberg in Glasgow next week.
The Swedish activist is one of the speakers at the COP26 Coalition’s Global Day for Climate Justice rally on Saturday November 6, the middle weekend of the two-week international climate conference which could see around 100,000 people taking part.
Alba activists will be among those participating in the event where they will underline a need for independence and green action.
The move comes as the party says it is stepping up efforts to address the constitutional question, with a national day of action the following weekend.
Unveiling the plans today, Alba general secretary Chris McEleny attacked the UK Government for failing to fund a well advanced carbon capture project near Aberdeen and favouring two schemes in the north of England instead.
The former SNP councillor said the decision to relegate Scottish carbon capture projects to a reserve list will see the country's renewable wealth squandered by Westminster on a par with its oil reserves if Scotland doesn’t become independent in the near future.
“Without the full powers of independence Scotland is set to miss out on the economic benefits of achieving Net Zero.
"We are uniquely placed to benefit from renewables - whether it’s in our offshore wind or wave and tidal potential, hydro schemes or indeed carbon capture itself, we have an unparalleled geographical advantage," said McEleny.
"Indeed Scotland is one of the few countries in the world where the green shift offers economic advantage as well as environmental imperative.
"But just as the Westminster Government squandered our oil revenues so the same fate will befall our renewable wealth if we don’t gain independence, not at some point in the distant future but now."
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He added: "To that end I am delighted to announce that Saturday 13th November will be our first Alba National Day of Action for independence.
"So we are calling on all our activists, while the eyes of the world are still on Scotland, to both support climate and Now Scotland activity next Saturday 6th and then, on the following Saturday, make the ALBA case for Scotland’s independence as an immediate priority.”
McEleny also urged the Scottish Government to fund the pay demands of Scottish Council workers who are set to take strike action.
He added: “And of course as the climate change conference takes centre stage, we should remember that it’s in the backdrop of workers set to take industrial action.
"Throughout the pandemic we have referred to them as essential, key, critical workers. When many of us worked from home they risked their health to make sure our services were maintained.
"Their current demands are not unreasonable and it is time for the Government to stump up to end the ongoing disputes and not provoke an avoidable winter of discontent.”
Thunberg has also backed Scottish workers's pay demands.
The oganisers of the rally want governments to commit to cutting emissions and implementing globally just solutions that limit global temperature rise to no more than 1.5 degrees – including calling for zero carbon, not just net zero.
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They expect simultaneous protests in more than 50 places across the UK and around 75 countries worldwide.
Thunberg will join Mitzi Jonelle Tan from the Philippines, Vanessa Nakate from Uganda and Scottish activist Darren McGarvey, also known as rapper Loki, in addressing the rally which will gather on Glasgow Green at 3pm.
Sarah Fleming of the COP26 Coalition has said previously: “Amongst all the rhetoric and empty promises, it is clear that justice won’t be handed to us by world leaders or delivered by corporations. Only we can imagine and build the future that works for all of us.
“The solutions that we desperately need to survive the climate crisis, and in doing so build a more just and fair world, can only be brought about through making our voices heard together.”
She added: “That’s why we’re bringing together everyone from Glasgow communities to indigenous peoples, from farmers to health workers to families, to take to the streets across the world and demand climate justice at COP26.”
A series of campaign groups including activists from Extinction Rebellion, Climate Justice, Not False Solutions and Workers and Trade Unions will form the backbone of the demonstration.
The march will be met by smaller marches from Glasgow Southside and groups of cyclists from across Scotland.
More than 10,000 police officers a day are expected to be on the streets during COP26.
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