Alex Salmond will attend the Climate Change summit

Alex Salmond will attend the climate change conference in Copenhagen

The first minister will attend the Climate Change conference in Copenhagen next week, despite Scotland not being involved in the summit negotiations.

Alex Salmond said he was participating in an opening "commitment session" in the Danish capital.

Other proposed speakers include UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Previously it had been announced that Stewart Stevenson, the minister for Climate Change, was attending alone.

Mr Salmond will also sign a joint statement with the president of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, to highlight Scotland's climate change targets and help the islands become the world's first "carbon-neutral country".

The first minister said he would be attending the Copenhagen event as First Minister of Scotland.

'Best position'

He said: "Scotland will be well-represented at many of the key events.

"Obviously it would be preferable, and I make no secret of this, if we were represented directly in the international negotiating tables.

"It is a perfect example of why, in my view, that is the best position for Scotland.

"But just because we are not in the best position at present should not prevent us establishing a good position in enhancing Scotland's international profile."

Dr Richard Dixon, director of WWF Scotland, and board member of the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland coalition, said: "Scotland's climate legislation is a great example at a time when the world desperately needs good examples.

"Even though Scotland has been denied the opportunity to be part of the official UK delegation, it really is great news that the first minister will now be going to Copenhagen.

"This is the most important international meeting on climate change ever and Scotland's input could really help make a difference in increasingly deadlocked talks."

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