November 7th, 2019 by phoebe1SCOTTISH ENVIRONMENT LINK
PRESS RELEASE
7th November 2019
Circular economy proposals need top-level targets says Scottish Environment LINK
The Scottish Government consultation (2) for a Circular Economy Bill, published today, contains proposals for reducing waste but does not include the high-level targets which LINK has been calling for with the support of 35 Scottish organisations (3).
The consultation paper suggests introducing charges on single-use items such as coffee cups; strengthening obligations on reporting waste; placing additional requirements on local authorities to improve household recycling; and measures to prevent waste crime.
Campaigners welcomed the document but said that these measures won’t add up to the radical change we need to address our impact on the environment. The quantity and nature of the products we use and consume is a key driver of our ecological and climate emergencies (4). Research has shown that we consume 3 times our share of planetary resources (5).
Matthew Crighton, Convenor of Scottish Environment LINK’s Economics Group says
“We’re pleased that the Scottish Government has raised aspirations with this consultation, but they won’t be met by the measures which it is proposing. In light of the Climate Emergency and the damage we are doing to nature we should be aiming at far-reaching changes to how we make, sell and consume. The proposals here, though all welcome, don’t come close to that.
‘Instead of relying so much on voluntary action by forward-thinking companies and individuals, we need to set statutory targets for reductions in the resources we use, in parallel with our climate change targets. Government should use the bill to create the mechanisms through which producers and retailers will be required to build repair, re-use and recycling into the products they place on the market.
“We hope that this consultation stimulates a wide-ranging debate about how we move rapidly away from the linear model of ‘take, make, dispose’ which is ravaging our planet. It gives an excellent introduction to why a circular economy is important, which everyone should read, and it offers an opportunity to convince politicians and the public that a more thorough approach is needed to bridge the gap between aspiration and delivery”.
Deborah Long, Scottish Environment LINK Chief Officer says
‘Scottish Government have an opportunity to bring forward ambitious and meaningful proposals which could really make a difference to our impact on the climate and biodiversity emergencies. Having ambitious targets and an accompanying framework could drive policy across government to steer our economy to one that is more circular and more sustainable. What we have instead are proposals which continue to tinker at the edges of the problem.’
ENDS//
Contact details:
Matthew Crighton
Tel: 07851348426
Email: mcrighton@foe.scot
Phoebe Cochrane
Tel: 07906780760
phoebe@scotlink.org
Notes for editors
(1) Scottish Environment LINK is the forum for Scotland’s voluntary environment community, with over 35 member bodies representing a broad spectrum of environmental interests with the common goal of contributing to a more environmentally sustainable society. LINK is a Scottish Charity (SC000296) and a Scottish Company Limited by guarantee (SC250899). LINK is core funded by Membership Subscriptions and by grants from Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Government and Charitable Trusts.
www.scotlink.org
(2) Scottish Government Circular Economy Bill consultation https://consult.gov.scot/environment-forestry/circular-economy-proposals-for-legislation/
(3) Over 35 organisations, including organisations with interests in health, education, construction, the bio-economy, repair, finance, recycling, plastics, waste management and overseas development; want to see ambitious circular economy proposals, crucially with consumption reduction targets centre stage http://www.scotlink.org/wp/files/documents/CE-Bill-call-for-Aug-19-logos-3.pdf
(4) The production and processing of the products we consume and use is the key driver of biodiversity loss – a International Resource Panel report puts it at 90% of biodiversity loss. This is because of loss of and pollution of habitats. https://resourcepanel.org/reports/global-resources-outlook
Additionally, our carbon impact is tied to our consumption, with about 80% of our carbon footprint being from emissions embedded in the goods we use and consume https://www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands-carbon-footprint-2015/pages/4/
(5) This is based on ecological footprint data for the UK https://data.footprintnetwork.org/?_ga=2.59762477.186067404.1573138714-1075653858.1573138714#/
Campaigners welcome Scottish Government’s ‘No Deal’ environment safeguards
Leading environmental charities have welcomed a plan announced today by Scotland’s Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham to set up an interim advisory panel to safeguard Scotland’s environmental standards in the event of a No Deal Brexit. Although the EU has this week granted an extension to Article 50, avoiding a No Deal exit on 31 October, this does not take No Deal entirely off the table.
The charities, members of Scottish Environment LINK, have been calling through their Fight for Scotland’s Nature campaign for urgent measures to protect Scotland’s environment from severe threats posed by Brexit. Their demands include a new, independent watchdog to enforce environmental protections.
The advisory panel announced today would be a temporary arrangement, to be set up if the UK leaves the UK without a deal, but the charities say in the short term it could help fill the gap left by loss of access to the European Commission. They are awaiting further details on how the interim panel will operate, including how it will receive and address complaints from members of the public regarding environmental compliance, and whether it will include members with environmental expertise.
Members of Scottish Environment LINK are calling on the Scottish Government to detail what longer term arrangements it will put in place to ensure that Scotland’s environmental protections are upheld after Brexit. The results of the Scottish Government’s own consultation showed strong support for the creation of a new body in Scotland to carry out scrutiny, oversight and enforcement of environmental protections if we leave the EU. Scottish Environment LINK is recommending that there be a Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, based on research recently carried out by Professor Campbell Gemmell and commissioned by LINK.
Charles Dundas, chair of Scottish Environment LINK, said today:
“Scotland’s natural environment is central to our society, our economy, and our wellbeing. Today’s announcement shows that the Scottish Government is taking seriously the question of how we will look after our nature if the UK leaves the EU.
“A No Deal Brexit would leave Scotland’s environment extremely vulnerable, and we’re delighted that the Scottish Government has made plans to prevent standards slipping.
“We believe that in the longer term it is essential that Scotland has an independent, well-resourced environmental watchdog to uphold environmental protections and hold future governments to account.”
A film highlighting that just 5 per cent of available UK charitable grants go to protect Scotland’s nature has been launched in Edinburgh with some of Scotland’s most influential funders.
Scottish Environment LINK, a coalition of more than 35 Scottish conservation and environmental groups and charities worked with Maramedia to create the stunning film This is Scotland to highlight a worrying statistic that was first revealed in the 2017 report Where the Green Grants Went Scotland.
In 2017, the Environment Funders Network published a report, Where the Green Grants Went, Scotland, which highlighted a massive funding hole for the nation’s conservation efforts. This is despite Scotland being home to some of the UK’s most spectacular and critically endangered natural heritage. The report found that only 29% of grant giving foundations operating in the UK gave grants to environmental causes in Scotland.
Although Scotland is home to 56% of the UK’s coastline, coastal and marine ecosystems in Scotland received just 3% of environmental funding. Climate and atmosphere related work received even less: 0.4% of all environmental grants by value.
Dr Deborah Long, Chief Officer of Scottish Environment LINK says:
“Scotland is internationally renowned for the amazing wildlife and landscapes that characterise these tiny islands in the north west Atlantic. Scotland is home to a stunning diversity of species and is home to more than its fair share of world populations of, for example, gannets, grey seals, mosses and liverworts.
“However, the State of Nature Scotland report, shows ongoing and accelerating declines in species in terms of numbers and distribution. Scotland’s environmental charities are working together to highlight this urgent issue, to reverse the trends and to ensure future generations can enjoy the natural richness we take for granted today. But Scotland needs appropriate levels of funding to be able to do that. Without investment, nature and landscapes in Scotland have no future.”
Maramedia, the company behind landmark BBC nature documentary series including Highlands: Scotland’s Wild Heart and Hebrides: Islands on the Edge created the film using beautiful footage of Scotland’s wild flora and fauna.
The issue of under-funding for Scotland’s environment was further explored at the film’s launch in Scotland during a panel discussion with leading environmentalist Hugh Raven, Chair of Environmental Funders Network, Drew Bennellick of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Mike Robinson, CEO of Royal Scottish Geographical Society, who coordinated of one of the earliest and most successful funded partnerships Forests for the Future and chaired by Deborah Long, Chief Officer of Scottish Environment LINK.
Hugh Raven commented:
“Scotland is home to world class landscapes and nature, which lie at the heart of ambitions for a healthy natural environment, supporting the mental and physical health of our people and the wellbeing of our communities. It is part of who we are.
However, we are at a unique juncture for climate and environment across the globe, and nationally. We want to explore how to resource the step up to restore, conserve and use nature in a truly sustainable Scottish future.
Our report showed that Scotland’s environment gets a rum deal in terms of philanthropic support. If we are serious about conserving the nature of Scotland, these trends must be reversed urgently so that future generations can enjoy the many sights and sounds that Scotland has to offer and which are beautifully portrayed in this film.”
Scottish Government’s consultation receives public support for safeguarding nature from Brexit.
New report from Scottish Environment LINK sets out proposals for ensuring that environmental protections can still be upheld if the UK exits the EU.
Today the 2019 State of Nature Report, a comprehensive assessment from over 70 wildlife organisations and government agencies, showed that there has been no let up in the declines of nature across Scotland and the UK, and that urgent action is needed to reverse these declines.
The Scottish Government’s commendable ambitions to be world leaders on tackling the twin climate and nature crises cannot be achieved without the support of robust legislation and ways to uphold protections. That is why LINK welcomes the results of the Scottish Government’s consultation on Environmental Principles and Governance released today, which show strong support for strong new laws and institutions in Scotland, if the UK exits the EU.
Today’s consultation results show a genuine concern that Brexit may lead to negative impacts on environmental protection and that there is widespread support for the Scottish Government’s proposals to safeguard standards and introduce new arrangements for scrutinising and enforcing these protections. 70% of respondents to the consultation called for four key EU environmental principles to guide future Scottish Government policy, and there was also strong support for the creation of a new body to ensure that environmental protections are properly delivered and scrutinised. Several respondents also supported the introduction of an Environmental Court in Scotland.
LINK would like thank all of the individuals and organisations who participated in our Fight for Scotland’s Nature campaign, which contributed over 12,000 responses to the consultation. This is an overwhelming display of passion and support for Scotland’s nature, and we were particularly pleased to see the wonderful contributions of the young people from Sunnyside Primary School in Glasgow, and the Ullapool Sea Savers mentioned in the Scottish Government’s report.
We are therefore delighted to launch a new report from Professor Campbell Gemmell, commissioned by Scottish Environment LINK, which echoes many of the consultation responses and proposes some practical ways that the Scottish Government could achieve its welcome aims to maintain EU standards. The report recommends that the Scottish Government:
- creates an independent Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment to act as a watchdog;
- establishes a dedicated Environmental Court over the long- term to enforce standards;
- streamlines and strengthens environmental governance in Scotland.
Taking forward these recommendations would ensure environmental protections can still be upheld if the UK exits the EU. Such a comprehensive response to the risks of EU exit would mean that Scotland’s institutions are as strong as the environmental protections they uphold. It would ensure that government and its agencies are held to account, providing a fundamental democratic safeguard and giving the environment a strong voice at a time when it urgently needs to be heard. Deborah Long, Chief Officer of Scottish Environment LINK, said:
The results of the Scottish Government’s consultation show that LINK’s concerns about the risks to Scotland’s species and habitats are shared by many. As we rapidly approach the Brexit deadline, we are in danger of losing guiding environmental principles and the ability to enforce high standards at a time when our natural world is already under threat from the twin climate and biodiversity emergencies. The consultation results show widespread support for their proposals to maintain EU environmental principles and introduce new governance arrangements as a response to EU exit. Scottish Environment LINK is delighted to release this new report from Professor Campbell Gemmell on environmental governance, which we hope proposes a practical way forward on these issues. We look forward to discussing these solutions in more detail with the Scottish Government in the coming months.
LINK supports the Scottish Government’s welcome ambitions to ensure that Brexit does not lead to a downgrading of environmental protections, and we hope that this will be achieved through new legislation that embeds EU environmental principles in Scots law and creates a new environment watchdog to safeguard Scotland’s amazing wildlife and landscapes.
Notes:
[1] The analysis of the Scottish Government’s consultation on Environmental Principles and Governance can be found at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/analysis-responses-consultation-environmental-principles-governance/
[2] Campbell Gemmell’s report on Environmental Governance: effective approaches for Scotland post-Brexit can be accessed at: https://www.fightforscotlandsnature.scot/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/REPORT-Environmental-Governance-effective-approaches-for-Scotland-post-Brexit-OCT-2019.pdf
[3] A summary of the report’s key findings has been produced by Scottish Environment LINK and can be accessed at: http://www.scotlink.org/public-documents/link-summary-of-report-environmental-governance-effective-approaches-for-scotland-post-brexit/
[4] Professor Campbell Gemmell is a Partner in Canopus Scotland Consulting, Professor of Environment Policy, Regulation and Governance at the University of Glasgow, Honorary Professor in the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of Stirling and an Adjunct Professor in the Future Industries Institute at UniSA, Adelaide.
He is former CEO of the South Australian EPA (2012 to 2014) and was CEO of SEPA 2003 to 2012 and SEPA Strategy Director 2001 to 2003.
Campbell was a member of Scottish Government’s Expert Roundtable on Environment and Climate Change and Chair of the independent review of Cleaner Air for Scotland.
[5] The Fight for Scotland’s Nature campaign has been coordinated by Scottish Environment LINK. It is supported by 37 environmental organisations and has called for a Scottish Environment Act that embeds EU environmental principles, establishes a new environmental watchdog and sets new targets for reversing nature decline. More details can be found at: https://www.fightforscotlandsnature.scot/what-we-stand-for/
A new poll released today shows that more than three quarters of the Scottish public (86 per cent) say they are concerned about the potential threats to wildlife from climate change, habitat loss and pollution. In addition to this, a staggering 94 per cent have expressed that they see Scotland’s natural environment as ‘very important’ or ‘quite important’ to both Scotland’s economy and its national identity.
The survey was undertaken last month by Survation on behalf of Scottish Environment LINK, a coalition of Scotland’s leading charities. It revealed a huge strength of feeling among Scots for the country’s world – renowned nature. It also showed that almost all (92 per cent) of those surveyed believe nature and wildlife are important in making Scotland a good place to raise a family and are important to the health and wellbeing of people in Scotland.
Furthermore, 84% of people believe the Scottish Parliament should pass laws requiring the same or higher levels of environmental protection than current EU laws if the UK leaves the EU. This comes at a time when 1 in 11 species in Scotland is at risk of extinction.
This is why LINK has launched an unrelenting bid under the campaign Fight for Scotland’s Nature for Scotland to have its own Environment Act. The charities also feel that while the Scottish Government made measures to tackle the climate emergency central to last week’s Programme for Government announcement, the programme contained little detail on protecting Scotland’s environment and wildlife from the threats posed by Brexit.
More than half of those surveyed also believe that EU environmental principles should be passed into law by the Scottish Parliament and that either the Scottish Parliament or a new independent watchdog should have the power to issue instructions and enforce penalties against the Scottish Government if it fails to meet environmental standards and targets.
Deborah Long, chief officer of Scottish Environment LINK, said today: “The Scottish public place enormous value on Scotland’s wildlife and nature, and rightly so – our natural environment is integral to making Scotland a good place to live. People’s strength of concern about the threats facing our wildlife is clear, as is the determination that Brexit must not be allowed to weaken our environmental protections.
“It’s also clear that people believe that in the event of the UK leaving the EU, we need to make sure there are ways to hold the Scottish Government to account on environmental matters. Scottish Environment LINK is calling for a Scottish Environment Act that includes the establishment of a strong, well-resourced and independent watchdog.
“With Brexit potentially a matter of weeks away, it is now beyond urgent that the government sets out detailed plans for how Scotland will look after its environment in the event of departure from the EU.”
For more information please contact: information@scotlink.org or call 0131 225 43 45
Notes
(1) Scottish Environment LINK is the forum for Scotland’s voluntary environment community, with over 35 member bodies representing a broad spectrum of environmental interests with the common goal of contributing to a more environmentally sustainable society.
LINK is a Scottish Charity (SC000296) and a Scottish Company Limited by guarantee (SC250899). LINK is core funded by Membership Subscriptions and by grants from Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Government and Charitable Trusts.
ukvps3.ie-dev.co.uk/scotlink-wordpress/
2) People aged 16+ and living in Scotland were interviewed via online panel. Data was weighted to the profile of all Scottish people aged 16+. Data was weighted by age, sex, region and 2016 Scottish Parliamentary constituency vote.
Targets for the weighted data were derived from Office of National Statistics data and the results of the 2016 Scottish Parliamentary election.
Full survey results are available at https://www.fightforscotlandsnature.scot/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Scot-Link-final-tables-pdf.pdf
(3) More information about the Fight For Scotland’s Nature campaign can be found at www.fightforscotlandsnature.scot
Given the overwhelming public support for action the new Programme for Government falls short of expectations. A recent survey undertaken by Survation on behalf of Scottish Environment LINK, a coalition of Scotland’s leading environmental charities has found that as many as 84% of Scots want the same or higher levels of environmental standards in the event of Brexit.
The Scottish Government’s 2019-2020 Programme for Government, launched today (3 September), has a strong climate emergency theme – with the need to act centre stage. A Circular Economy Bill, a Good Food Nation Bill, a strategic, climate friendly approach to land use and the inclusion of environmental principles in the Continuity Bill are all welcome.
However, it has failed to detail concrete steps that will give Scotland’s environment adequate protection from Brexit, if and when, we leave the EU. The proposals for effective and proportional governance do not detail what is intended and if this will include an independent watchdog. It is not proposed to underpin the Environment Strategy in statute or set legally binding objectives or targets for nature recovery. We cannot fully meet the climate emergency without tackling the nature crisis too. This is a missed opportunity, which is disappointing in an otherwise very welcome Programme.
At present, as much as 80 per cent of Scotland’s environmental protections stem from EU membership. This is why environmental charities in Scotland have launched an urgent bid under the campaign Fight for Scotland’s Nature for Scotland to have its own Environment Act. This will help to ensure that Brexit does not unravel crucial environment protections at a time when 1 in 11 species in Scotland is at risk of extinction.
Together, the charities are pushing for the needs of Scotland’s world-renowned nature not to be lost in the chaos around Brexit and for the Scottish Government to commit to protecting Scotland’s environment better, now and in the future. They want to see vital EU environmental principles embedded in Scots law; it is welcome that this is now to be included in the proposed Continuity Bill. For this to be meaningful they are also calling for the creation of an independent environmental watchdog and legally binding targets for the recovery and protection of Scotland’s nature. While governance measures are mentioned, these are not detailed.
The First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has said her government intends to legislate for environmental principles for Scotland and set out new arrangements for enforcing environmental protections. However, today’s Programme for Government does not state when such measures might be introduced, or whether there will be a watchdog with the power to hold Ministers to account on environmental performance.
Charles Dundas, Chair of Scottish Environment LINK, said today:
“I am pleased to see the grand swell of public opinion that more should be done to protect Scotland’s precious environment from the major threats it is facing. The climate and nature emergencies are intrinsically linked and must be tackled together, which is something the First Minister has also recognised. As such, we’d have liked to see a strong Environment Act for Scotland and an ambitious and consistent approach to nature recovery. With Brexit potentially a matter of weeks away, it is now beyond urgent that the government sets out detailed plans. Although we’d have liked to see more detail on governance and a legally binding strategy, it is very welcome to see the emphasis placed on addressing climate change, a Circular Economy and a Good Food Nation Bill.”
EU environmental protections are among the strongest in the world and year on year Scotland’s nature has hugely benefitted from these. However, Brexit and a rapid decline in the health of our environment here and across the world mean that urgent action is now required.
He added: “We welcome the First Minister’s reiteration of the commitment to maintain standards, but this needs to be supported by strong governance. The most glaring gap is the lack of proposals for a watchdog. Unless we can create a well-resourced and genuinely independent body to monitor and scrutinise environmental laws, policies and practice, with the ability to impose penalties, these protections will have little worth.”
On the circular economy, Matthew Crighton, Convenor of LINK’s Economics Group, said:
“It’s positive that there will be a Circular Economy Bill brought to Parliament. Creating a circular economy is an essential part of reducing greenhouse gas emissions as well as one of the best ways to reduce the damage which we are doing to nature. However, to ‘embed an innovative approach to reducing, reusing and recycling materials’ it will have to do more than increase recycling rates or reduce the flow of waste to landfill – the entire system needs to be transformed, starting with designing out waste and designing in re-use and the right to repair. The Programme for Government doesn’t mention setting targets for reducing our resource footprints but we are still hoping to see ambitious targets in this Bill.”
Editors Notes
(1) Scottish Environment LINK is the forum for Scotland’s voluntary environment community, with over 35 member bodies representing a broad spectrum of environmental interests with the common goal of contributing to a more environmentally sustainable society.
LINK is a Scottish Charity (SC000296) and a Scottish Company Limited by guarantee (SC250899). LINK is core funded by Membership Subscriptions and by grants from Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Government and Charitable Trusts.
ukvps3.ie-dev.co.uk/scotlink-wordpress/
2) People aged 16+ and living in Scotland were interviewed via online panel. Data was weighted to the profile of all Scottish people aged 16+. Data was weighted by age, sex, region and 2016 Scottish Parliamentary constituency vote.
Targets for the weighted data were derived from Office of National Statistics data and the results of the 2016 Scottish Parliamentary election.
(3) More information about the Fight For Scotland’s Nature campaign can be found at www.fightforscotlandsnature.scot
A coalition of over 30 organisations is launched today calling for an ambitious and comprehensive Circular Economy bill.
Scottish Environment LINK Marine Group members welcome the launch of a public consultation proposing to designate four new nature conservation MPAs for mobile species and seabed habitats.
Ahead of the 2019 European Parliament elections, Scottish Environment LINK have issued a manifesto.
Our world faces an unprecedented ecological crisis: scientists from across the globe are ringing the alarm when it comes to the reality of climate breakdown and unparalleled loss of nature which will compromise jobs and livelihoods.
When it comes to our environment, Scotland, the UK, other EU Member States and the world as a whole face the same challenges, from climate change to the proliferation of invasive species to air pollution and the over-consumption of raw materials. Joint ambition and cooperation are therefore critical. A critically important decade lies ahead where action is needed to develop a new Global Deal for Nature and ensure a clear trajectory for meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals in 2030.
Scotland’s environment is our greatest national asset and of global importance. Scotland is home to a third of Europe’s breeding seabirds, our waters make up a staggering 13 per cent of all European seas while one of Europe’s largest expanses of blanket bog peatlands is found in Caithness and Sutherland.
Given the scale of the challenge which our planet is facing, regardless of Scotland’s constitutional future, we cannot afford to unpick existing environmental standards. We need to build on environmental laws to ensure that our nature is protected now and in the future.
Members of the European Parliament will help co-develop EU policy at a critical juncture where accelerated action is needed to transition to a sustainable economy where we live in harmony with our environment.
Scottish MEPs must support ambitious action to protect and enhance our environment whether it is contributing to the development and achievement of ambitious EU policies for the environment or spearheading actions by progressive domestic policies.
We call on Scottish MEP candidates to:
- Support the transition to an environmentally sustainable economy
- Ensure environmental laws are implemented
- Support ambitions climate action to limit temperature change to 1.5°C degrees
- Protect our natural environment
Read the full manifesto here.
***
For more information contact:
Daphne Vlastari, LINK Advocacy Manager
E-mail: daphne@scotlink.org | Tel: 0131 244 4345
More than 22,000 people, including primary school children, have written to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon calling for a Scottish Environment Act to protect Scotland’s nature and ensure Brexit doesn’t roll back crucial environmental protections.
The calls come at a time of renewed focus on environmental issues, with the Scottish Government committing to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, reversing plans to cut air passenger duty and announcing a deposit return system for drinks containers.
But campaigners fear that with 80 per cent of Scotland’s environmental protections stemming from EU membership, Brexit could unravel much of the legislation that helps us safeguard our wildlife and take action to tackle problems like air pollution. This could be detrimental at a time when our environment is in crisis, in Scotland and across the globe.
Jade of Sunnyside Primary School in Glasgow wrote to the First Minister saying: “Nature gives us everything we need and everything we have so it would be mad not to have laws to protect it.”
Haris of Hillhead Primary School also in Glasgow said: “I am only 10 years old and I feel very worried about what’s happening to nature. It’s not fair that children my age might never see the amazing wildlife that adults have taken for granted. Scotland needs strong laws to help stop this before it’s too late.”
A Scottish Government consultation seeking views on the measures that will be required to ensure that environmental standards are retained in the event of Brexit closed on 11 May. Environmental charities, wider civil society, businesses, academics and young campaigners took part.
Charles Dundas, Chair of Scottish Environment LINK, said today: “With 1 in 11 species in Scotland, both plant and animal at risk of extinction, we cannot afford to roll back on our environmental protections. Given the prospect of Brexit and the uncertainty this creates, we fully support the Government’s ambition to retain and build on existing EU protections. Now that this important consultation has closed we hope to quickly see a clear plan for action emerge.”
He added: “As the First Minister said last week, we must ensure that our actions produce the transformative change needed to protect our natural environment. It is therefore critical that any action we take to safeguard Scotland’s nature from the risks of Brexit also acknowledges the wider ecological crisis our nature is facing. A Scottish Environment Act would build on existing Government commitments on Brexit and help protect and enhance Scotland’s nature, now and in the future.”
Scottish Environment LINK, a coalition of over 35 leading environmental charities launched the campaign, Fight for Scotland’s Nature, to call for Scotland to have its own Environment Act. Together, they want an Act to embed EU environmental principles in Scots law, create an independent watchdog to enforce laws, and set clear targets for environmental protection.
Notes:
(1) Scottish Environment LINK is the forum for Scotland’s voluntary environment community, with over 35 member bodies representing a broad spectrum of environmental interests with the common goal of contributing to a more environmentally sustainable society. LINK is a Scottish Charity (SC000296) and a Scottish Company Limited by guarantee (SC250899). LINK is core funded by Membership Subscriptions and by grants from Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Government and Charitable Trusts.
(2) The Scottish Government consultation on environmental principles and governance closed on 11 May. The consultation paper is available at https://consult.gov.scot/environment-forestry/environmental-principles-and-governance/
(3) More information about the Fight For Scotland’s Nature campaign can be found at www.fightforscotlandsnature.scot
(4) The petition calling on the First Minister to act with urgency to better protect Scotland’s nature through a Scottish Environment Act was run by Scottish Environment LINK and its members, with support from campaigning organisation 38 Degrees. A total of 22,181 people took part in the petition.
