Take an adaptive approach to abstraction and flows management to protect freshwater biodiversity from the impacts of water scarcity in response to future climate change pressures, using the Controlled Activity Regulations and review of abstraction.
Objective 1: Accelerate ecosystem restoration and regeneration
Priority Action 6. Enhance water and air quality. Undertake water management measures to enhance biodiversity
Water abstraction and flow management in Scotland is currently regulated through the Controlled Activities Regulations (CAR), administered by SEPA, alongside the River Basin Management Planning (RBMP) 2021–2027 cycle. These frameworks set environmental standards for abstraction and support ongoing management of pressures on freshwater systems.
Adaptive responses to water scarcity are being developed through periodic reviews of abstraction licences, drought planning, and environmental flow considerations. However, while these mechanisms support resilience to climate pressures, there is limited evidence of consistently applied, biodiversity-specific flow thresholds or explicit safeguards designed specifically to protect freshwater biodiversity under future climate change scenarios. Overall, adaptation is being progressed within existing regulatory systems rather than through a dedicated biodiversity-focused flow management framework.
SEPA regulates abstraction and flows through CAR and RBMP frameworks, which provide a basis for managing water pressures and responding to drought conditions. These systems allow for licence review and environmental flow considerations, supporting some level of adaptation to climate-driven water scarcity. However, there is limited evidence that flow management is consistently set using biodiversity-specific thresholds or future climate scenarios, meaning protection of freshwater ecosystems is not yet systematically built into abstraction decisions.
Strengthening ecological flow standards and embedding climate-adjusted thresholds could significantly improve resilience of freshwater habitats and species under increasing water scarcity.
SEPA – Controlled Activities Regulations (CAR)
SEPA – River Basin Management Planning
Ensure contaminants of emerging concern that may impact on biodiversity are identified through existing mechanisms with an additional system in place that uses Scottish data to identify new problems.
Represent Scottish interests in UK chemicals regulation to ensure impacts on wildlife from chemical risks are reduced (eg work towards extending current restrictions on lead in ammunition), and contribute to UK chemicals regulatory reform.
Support projects and programmes that complement regulation to address emerging or novel contaminants in the water environment, e.g. The One Health Breakthrough Partnership on pharmaceuticals and the water industry’s Chemical Investigation Programme.
Continue to invest in improvements to the wastewater service to improve freshwater biodiversity by upgrading 40 wastewater treatment works and 24 intermittent sewage discharges, as required.
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