03 Jun 2016
by Mike Robinson A debate is raging about the merits or otherwise of cutting Air Passenger Duty (APD) in Scotland – a tax levied on each flight dependent on how far the destination. The Scottish Government has made clear their intention that, further to this tax power being devolved, they will see this tax halved beginning […]
12 Apr 2016
“Money alone has never made man happy”, to paraphrase Benjamin Franklin. It is something that rings true with most of us but it is rarely recognised by our governments who continue to use primarily economic metrics such as GDP for measuring a country’s success. Yet in 2007, Scotland put itself ahead of most of its […]
09 Feb 2016
We Scots are rightly proud of our outstanding natural environment. It is also widely recognised as an essential part of our economy, as it frames our “brand”. At the same time, economic development proposals – or, indeed, conservation measures – can be controversial. Governments, businesses, and communities of both place and interest often take differing […]
06 Jan 2016
Almost six years ago, the Scottish Parliament unanimously passed the Climate Change Act. The Act included an important provision for a national deposit return system, where consumers pay a small deposit on drinks bottles and cans which is fully refunded when they are returned. This hasn’t been introduced yet, but the good news is that […]
22 Oct 2015
While our Indian summer helped Scottish farmers bring the harvest in, challenging times still lie ahead for farming. Lower subsidies for some, along with low commodity prices and a weak Euro, all put pressure on farm incomes. Scottish Environment LINK brings together more than 35 environmental organisations to protect and enhance nature and wildlife on […]
12 Oct 2015
Land reform is back on the agenda in Scotland with a new Bill now passing through Parliament. While most of the media coverage of this issue has centred around the inequitable pattern of land ownership in Scotland, it’s the use of our land, its management and stewardship, which is of more concern for environmental organisations. […]
21 Jul 2015
For decades now, Scotland has managed activities within its seas, such as renewables, oil and gas development and aquaculture, through separate, sector-specific planning guidance – but now things are changing. Serious declines in the health of our marine environment as a result of human activities at sea and around our coasts became an urgent driver […]
21 Jul 2015
There is sometimes a wee temptation to get carried away with good news, but this summer there are promising signs of change for Scotland’s seas – in the form of proposals to better safeguard 16 marine protected areas (MPAs) in our inshore waters, and thus help provide the breeding grounds for marine recovery. When first […]
15 Jul 2015
Dr Phoebe Cochrane, LINK’s Sustainable Economics Policy Officer GDP figures released today for Scotland show us that the Scottish economy grew by 0.6% during the first quarter of 2015. GDP is the most widely reported metric and to increase GDP is a central aim of many governments, including the Scottish Government. However, GDP is very […]
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