We welcome the Government’s announcement to set Scottish targets to reduce emissions. We have long argued that this is a key part of ensuring that Scotland makes progress in tackling climate change.
“We will now be keeping a close eye on the implementation of the strategy to ensure that it results in real cuts in climate emissions from Scotland.”
There has been varied success, in recent years, in improving environmental trends in Scotland’s farmed environment. While it is clear from the audit that some environmental issues, such as bathing water quality, have been improved during the last few years, a range of important environmental issues such as the contribution of agriculture to greenhouse gas emissions, water abstraction and pollution, and habitat and species decline remain a major concern. The new Scottish Rural Development Plan gives us a perfect opportunity to create and improve the means of tackling these environmental priorities in the Scottish countryside. The State of Scotland’s Farmed Environment” gives us the background information to do this”.
Speaking at the reception, Fred Edwards (LINK President) will call the environment movement ‘prophetic’. He will argue that public perception about environmental issues has become ‘the stuff of headlines’ and the ‘There is the dawning of a wider realization of the seriousness of these matters’. He will praise the work done by the Executive on the Strategic Environment Assessment Act, which ‘places a substantial tool in the hands of those charged with caring for our environment’ and applaud the launch of ‘Choosing Our Future’ that will help to bring about real sustainability….
The delivery of a large investment programme requires good co-ordination and communication between the government agencies, economic regulators and Scottish Water. The resignation of Scottish Water’s chair signals an ongoing conflict between these agencies, which could prove damaging for the environment, biodiversity and the Scottish people.
A coalition of 36 Scottish environmental organisations and 1,150 Scottish community councils will today hand a petition to Parliament demanding a rethink on the draft Planning Bill.
The action has been prompted by the fear that the new National Planning Framework (NPF), included in the draft Bill, could allow Scotland to become a dumping ground for large-scale and potentially damaging developments in the UK.
Despite repeated consultations and overwhelming public support for the issue of limited Third Party Rights of Appeal (TPRA), the Executive has failed to deliver real rights for communities. At the same time, the Executive has made it easier to push through national developments without the risk of public challenge.
Furthermore, the proposals for scrutinising the National Planning Framework deny local communities an opportunity to challenge significant developments that could affect their environment and quality of life.
These two issues have been the source of such significant concern that Scottish Environment LINK and the Association of Scottish Community Councils have joined together to lodge a petition with the Parliament, which has already attracted thousands of signatures.
LINK welcomes the joint proposal from the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats for cross-party consensus on countering global warming and new measures to cut greenhouse gases.
Welcoming the Scottish Marine and Coastal Strategy launched today by Environment Minister Ross Finnie MSP, Scottish Environment LINK’s Marine Task Force1 said only prompt, decisive action can protect Scotland’s seas. Calum Duncan, Convener of the LINK Marine Task Force, said:
“In the eighteen months since the Scottish Executive ended its consultation on a Strategic Framework for Scotland’s Marine Environment3 we have seen the two most devastating breeding seasons on record for Scotland’s seabirds and economic crisis in the fishing industry. It is crunch time for Scotland’s seas. We welcome the Strategy announced today, and being invited to join the Stakeholder Group. We are optimistic it can reverse the decline around our coast – provided the Executive ensures these fine words lead to bold, decisive action.”
Tonight in Edinburgh, LINK welcomes Bill Ballantine to share his experience of pioneering Marine Reserves in New Zealand, demonstrating their value to fisheries, tourism and marine wildlife alike.
Whilst Scotland has its own set of marine management issues to grapple with, a growing recognition that a sustainable future for our coastal communities and industries relies on healthy seas means we can learn from other temperate countries such as New Zealand.
LINK together with the Association of Scottish Community Councils launch a petition calling for the introduction of a limited third party right of appeal within the planning system. It also insists that all planning decisions, especially those related to the proposed National Planning Framework, must be open to challenge and public inquiry.
The two groups will be working throughout the summer 2005 to gather as many public signatories as possible before the issue goes back to Parliament in the autumn.
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