The world is at a critical juncture, with multiple intersecting crises. No longer can we separate the nature crisis and the climate emergency from our consumption habits and fossil-fuel dependency, nor can we decouple our own economic prosperity from the poverty experienced elsewhere.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated clearly that the health of everyone, everywhere, is only as strong as the health of the most vulnerable and that we all have a responsibility to help one another. This is not only true for collective health, but also across all dimensions of sustainable development, our economic prosperity, our climate and our environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the global economy suffering a historically deep economic recession, we must recognise that pre-existing inequalities mean that those with the least, especially in the Global South, are often affected in the most regressive ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is more important than ever, therefore, for the Scottish Government to maintain and increase its commitment to global sustainable development<\/strong>. While, initially, it linked its National Performance Framework (NPF) to the SDGs, this approach has largely been focused internally, on domestic wellbeing, rather than on making a more holistic assessment which would address the impact of Scottish actions on global inequalities and planetary challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\nScotland\u2019s economic development has, for centuries, benefited from, and exploited, global inequalities, from the slave trade era to the vastly unequal burden of emissions on Global South countries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, historically, Scotland has also been highly supportive of global development and funding for it, and the Scottish people continue to do so via the UK Government\u2019s Official Development Assistance. Today\u2019s challenges in an interconnected world, though, require more than just traditional aid from nation states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Achieving global sustainable development requires leadership from all corners of global society to reduce emissions, to consume ethically, to welcome migrants, to challenge injustice, to reject inequality and to build a society that does not harm others, internationally or intergenerationally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our role in Scotland must be coherent in terms of reducing inequalities and achieving universal sustainable development. We must underpin our words with concrete actions that set an example as a good global citizen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is a summary of our report above that outlines the Alliance\u2019s and its members\u2019 key policy priorities for political parties to include in their 2021 Scottish Election manifestos<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe full report also presents a vision for the next Scottish Government<\/strong> to make Scotland a leader in sustainable development<\/strong>, through joining up and building upon existing activities, such as the international development programme, commitments to climate-just action and the creation of the NPF and, crucially, linking its external affairs and domestic agendas more coherently.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more depth behind any of the recommendations, or to read the wider vision for making Scotland a leader in sustainable development, the full report can be found above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This summary, and the full report, have been compiled by the Alliance Policy Committee, and were subject to extensive consultation with all members over summer 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n
Summary of Recommendations<\/h2>\n\n\n
Members of Scotland\u2019s International Development Alliance urge political parties to consider and adopt the following commitments in five key areas:<\/p>\n\n\n