Energy Minister Gillian Martin will tell the world’s largest Arctic conference that Scotland can help power its northern neighbours’ journey to net zero.

During meetings at the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik, Iceland, the Minister is expected to highlight Scotland’s expertise in renewable energy and seek to strengthen international partnerships in delivering technologies like green hydrogen and offshore wind.

The Assembly takes place from 19 to 21 October 2023 and will be attended by ministers, diplomats and academics from countries including Sweden, Norway, the US and Canada. Ms Martin will also meet the President of next month’s COP28 UN climate change summit in the United Arab Emirates, Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jabar, as well as other senior decision-makers.

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The Energy Minister said: “As the most northerly non-Arctic nation, we are ideally placed to connect the European Arctic with central Europe and bridge the North Sea and North Atlantic. We have the resources, skills, and ambition to lead from the front in advancing green energy technologies and accelerating decarbonisation across our shared neighbourhood.

“We have a massive potential pipeline of offshore wind projects, which is the equivalent of producing enough electricity annually to power every home in Scotland for 17 years. Scotland is also the most advanced hub in Europe for marine energy and is home to some of the world’s first, largest, and most advanced tidal stream deployments.

“We are able to be a leading provider of green energy in the North Atlantic and Arctic region. Achieving energy security while tackling climate change requires a mutual endeavour and we are ready to play our part.

“Scotland was the first country to declare a global emergency in 2019 to address the effects of climate change. I look forward to meaningful discussions with the organisers of this year’s UN climate change summit on how we create the momentum necessary for worldwide change.”