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Standing for Species: Championing Wildlife in the Scottish Parliament

February 25th, 2016 by ie-admin

The 76 MSPs who have participated in the Species Champions Initiative were thanked this evening for their work during the current parliament to support Scotland’s threatened wildlife. Scottish Environment LINK held a reception in Holyrood hosted by Rob Gibson MSP. Read more here.

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Circular economy policies should target cuts in resource use

February 19th, 2016 by ie-admin

Environmental organisations in Scotland have welcomed growing interest in creating a more circular economy, but warn that government should set resource use targets if it is to secure environmental benefits.

In advance of the Scottish Government releasing its forthcoming strategy on the circular economy late in February, Scottish Environment LINK commissioned a report to look at the strengths and weaknesses of the concept from the point of view of environmental NGOs. LINK thinks that the aspiration to create a more circular economy has enormous potential but only if its adoption drives genuine changes in the ways in which enterprises and government work.

Richard Dixon, Director of Friends of the Earth Scotland, speaking on behalf of LINK’s Economics Group says: “The Circular Economy concept has great potential to reduce waste, save citizens and businesses cash, create jobs and reduce climate change emissions. It’s a great idea but it needs to be done right. We’ll be looking for the Scottish Government to produce a strategy which measures the fundamentals of our current over-use of materials, and demonstrates how its policies will make a real difference. Scotland has a chance to be a leader in tackling resource use in Europe if the Government produces a strong strategy next week.”

LINK’s report challenges the government on several points:

The circular economy needs to be presented as an approach to achieve absolute (as opposed to relative) reduction in the rate of consumption of finite resources;

If the Scottish Government is serious about the circular economy, metrics to measure natural resource use, waste generated and the degree of circularity need to be in place;

There may be temptations to focus circular economy approaches in sectors in which competitive advantage could be achieved. LINK would like to see the principles of the circular economy adopted widely, especially where environmental gains might be largest.

LINK keenly awaits to see how these issues are addressed in the forthcoming Scottish Government Strategy and looks forward to engaging with government and other stakeholders to support Scotland’s transition to a more circular economy.

Download the press release here.

ENDS

For more information please contact:

Phoebe Cochrane, LINK Sustainable Economics Policy Officer at phoebe@scotlink.org or 0131 243 2723/ 07419 373320

Richard Dixon, Director of Friends of the Earth Scotland at rdixon@foe-scotlandorg.uk or 0131 243 2700

Notes/links for editors:

The circular economy alters material flows within the economy so that resources are retained in productive use for as long as possible, at the highest possible utility and value, through multiple cycles. Instead of being designed for disposal after use as in a linear economy, products are designed and made to be used again. Aspirations towards a more circular economy have become popular recently and the Scottish Government is seen as a leader in terms of embracing the concept and reviewing opportunities to adopt it.
Scottish Environment LINK report ‘The Circular Economy: Implications for the Environment Movement’ was commissioned by LINK’s Economics Group and written by Andrew Llanwarne, IDEAction.
The Scottish Government’s strategy paper on the circular economy, ‘Making Things Last’, is due to be published towards the end of February.

This statement is supported by LINK’s Economics Group.

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LINK welcomes Minister statement on EU Nature Directives

January 28th, 2016 by ie-admin

Environmental groups welcome Scottish Government’s support of EU Nature Directives

Environmental groups across Scotland welcome the news that the Scottish Government does not wish to renegotiate the EU Nature Directives.

On Jan 26th, in answer to a parliamentary question on the subject of the directives, asked by Stewart Maxwell MSP, the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Aileen McLeod MSP, answered: “Like the UK Government… we do not wish to seek the renegotiation of the directives.”

The UK and Welsh governments made similar announcements in December 2015, leaving only Northern Ireland to pledge their support in the UK.

As part of her answer the Minister also acknowledged that, “Scotland provides the largest component of the UK’s contribution to the European Union’s Natura 2000 network.” And that “the Scottish Government is continuing to participate in the European Commission’s ‘fitness check’ of the EU Birds and Habitats Directives, the conclusions of which have yet to be determined.”

Deborah Long, Head of Plantlife Scotland and Convener of Scottish Environment LINK’s Land Group said:

“We are delighted that the Scottish Government has publicly stated their support for the EU Nature Directives.”

“Given the Scottish government’s support of the EU Nature Directives, we are now looking for effective government leadership on halting the loss of biodiversity by delivering on the ambitions of the 2020 Challenge for Scotland’s Biodiversity. We need clear commitments from our government to lead and resource effective action across Scotland to halt the loss of biodiversity including through continued full implementation of the Nature Directives. LINK’s forthcoming manifesto for the 2016 election outlines what we expect to see political parties commit to as we go into the election, in order to enable Scotland to live within environmental limits.”

“Scotland’s environment and its landscape underpin our economy, our culture and as such the habitats and species that make it what it is need protection through law as well as conservation through partnership working. At Scottish Environment LINK we remain committed to speaking up for the environment and we are pleased to continue to work with government and our partners to ensure Scotland’s environment is in the best shape for future generations to enjoy.”

ENDS

For more information please contact:

The LINK Advocacy Officer, Daphne Vlastari on 0131 225 4345 or via email daphne@scotlink.org

or Deborah Long, Head of Plantlife Scotland and Convenor of Scottish Environment LINK’s Land Group on 07917691270 or via email deborah.long@plantlife.org

Notes/links for editors:

The EU Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive are collectively known as the Nature Directives.
In 2014 the EU announced their plans to carry out a fit for purpose review of the Nature Directives, known as the REFIT ‘Fitness Check’.
On 30 April 2015 the European Commission launched its public consultation on the Nature Directives.
In May 2015, 100 voluntary organisations across the UK – known as the ‘Joint Links Group’ and including Scottish Environment LINK – cited that the European Commission’s REFIT ‘Fitness Check’ of the Nature Directives is the biggest single threat to UK and European nature and biodiversity in a generation.
To access the evidence submitted by the Joint Links group, please click here: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/legislation/fitness_check/evidence_gathering/index_en.htm
Between April and July 2015 the European Commission ran a public consultation on the Nature Directives. Over 520,000 people across Europe spoke up to save these laws – more than three times higher than the response to any other Commission consultation.
On 16 December 2015 EU Environment Ministers met to discuss how we meet our target to reverse wildlife declines by 2020. At this meeting UK Environment Minister, Rory Stewart, stated that the UK do not want to renegotiate the Nature Directives, and instead want to work with others on improving their implementation.
The full parliamentary question referred to above can be found here: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_ChamberDesk/WA20160126.pdf
Conclusions for the Fitness Check are predicted to be announced later in 2016.

Scottish Environment LINK’s Land Group – a coalition of environmental charities campaigning to protect and recover Scotland’s wildlife – works together to build understanding of issues affecting land and freshwater in Scotland and to help deliver a sustainable future from these environmental assets in Scotland.

This statement is supported by the following organisations from LINK’s Land Group:

RSPB Scotland, Plantlife Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, Buglife, Marine Conservation Society, Froglife, Bat Conservation Trust, ARC, Butterfly Conservation Scotland, Woodland Trust Scotland and Scottish Wildlife Trust.

ScotLINK_Press_Release_environmental_groups_welcome_Scot_Gov_support_of_Nature_Directives_28Jan2016_FINAL

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MPA fisheries decision signals new era for Scottish seas

December 18th, 2015 by ie-admin

In response to the Scottish Government’s announcement about fisheries management in inshore Marine Protected Areas and Special Areas of Conservation

Environmental organisations have today welcomed the Scottish Government’s announcement on managing fishing within Scotland’s network of marine protected areas (MPAs). The MPAs include some of the most vulnerable marine wildlife sites in Europe and some of the 30 areas designated in the summer of 2014 to protect a range of habitats and species including flameshell beds and the common skate. However, until now the areas have been at risk of potentially irreversible damage from some fishing activities. The new proposals for fisheries management in the MPAs will help move the most damaging activities away from sensitive habitats.

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