On 5 June, in celebration of World Environment Day, Scottish Environment LINK members are launching their Species Champion 100-day Challenge. For 100 days over 100 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) who have accepted to become a Species Champion will be participating in a series of actions raising awareness about their selected species, encouraging policy changes in support of their species and raising awareness about wider biodiversity concerns in Scotland.
LINK’s award-winning initiative “Species Champions” pairs MSPs with species that are under threat in Scotland. With almost 1 in 10 species in Scotland at risk of extinction, political support for protecting our precious natural environment has never been more critical.
Graeme Dey, MSP for Angus South Constituency and Convener of the Scottish Parliament Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee commented:
“Being Species Champion for the Woolly willow has been, and continues to be, an enjoyable learning experience. I am delighted that there are now 100 MSPs committed to championing species. The 100-day challenge will provide a good focal point for this and I look forward to hearing about the actions taken by MSPs to promote their species.”
Craig Macadam, Scottish Environment LINK Vice-Chair and Wildlife Subgroup Convenor added:
“With the support of over 100 MSP Species Champions, representing 78% of the Scottish Parliament and covering every corner of Scotland we hope to put biodiversity at the centre of the Parliament’s attention. Our environment has no voice so we need Species Champions to stand up for it.
From planning to agriculture and from tourism to healthcare, the protection and enhancement of our biodiversity must be acknowledged as a key ingredient to our success as a nation – and our policies need to reflect that. If we don’t, we will fall short on our 2020 global biodiversity commitments and our ambitions for a sustainable Scotland.”
Read the full press release here
Keep up to date with the most recent news on the challenge on twitter, by clicking here or searching the hashtag #Species100