Press Release
17 Sep 2026
The scale of the proposed public service reform in the Programme for Government has significant implications for the environment sector, which Scottish Environment LINK members are still considering. The Scottish Government has proposed merging NatureScot, SEPA, Zero Waste Scotland, and potentially Scottish Forestry into a single environmental agency. There is also a separate proposal, which appears less developed, to consolidate all public bodies involved in the management of public land.
Press Release
14 Sep 2026
Environment charities and fishers have called for effective, science-led protections for Scotland’s seas as the Scottish government launches a long-overdue public consultation today on protections for wildlife in inshore marine protected areas (MPAs). The consultation asks for views on proposals to restrict certain types of fishing gear in each MPA, depending on the wildlife within them. These protections were originally due to be implemented in 2016 but have faced repeated delays.
Blog Post
07 Sep 2026
This summer, as part of LINK’s Nature Protection Scorecard, we commissioned Survation to survey public opinion on government performance and the state of nature. The results add to the mountain of evidence that there is a high level of concern for the environment and a strong political incentive for government to act.
Press Release
01 Sep 2026
In a new report released today, Scottish Environment LINK members have called on the Scottish government to do more to encourage and support natural woodland regeneration and colonisation by rebalancing how it funds and supports forestry. Natural regeneration is the establishment of young trees within an existing woodland by natural means, while natural colonisation is the establishment of young trees on open ground, creating new woodlands.
Press Release
28 Aug 2026
Scottish Environment LINK has today launched a new Nature Protection Scorecard to track the performance of the Scottish government and public bodies in protecting and restoring the natural environment. The scorecard collates a range of data to judge how well the Scottish government is performing and the extent to which public bodies are using their enforcement powers. While not intended to be comprehensive, the scorecard […]
Blog Post
25 Aug 2026
One of the brilliant things about living in Scotland is that you’re never all that far from the sea. Those of us who feel the sea’s call – and who in Scotland doesn’t – can get our fix of it without travelling a great distance. The seas around our jagged coastline are a place of […]
Blog Post
20 Aug 2026
Scotland’s Environment Strategy (2026) lists integrated actions by which “Scotland’s society is transformed for the better by living sustainably”. It aims to “empower and enable people across Scotland to experience the benefits of shifting towards healthy, sustainable lifestyles”. This “whole of Scotland” approach requires that we understand how well we’re doing in progress towards greater sustainability. Ten years ago, I proposed an index of sustainable development (SD), published in The Ecologist. The index satisfies the […]
Blog Post
13 Aug 2026
In June 2026, Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS) published an official investigation evaluating the Scottish Government’s performance in protecting the marine environment. The report concludes that Scotland has failed to meet its statutory target of achieving “Good Environmental Status” (GES) for the seabed—set for and missed in 2020—and identifies critical deficiencies in policy design, environmental monitoring, […]
Press Release
06 Aug 2026
Scotland’s leading environment charities have called on the Scottish government to commit to doubling the area of organic farmland by the end of the 2026-31 parliamentary session. Scottish Environment LINK, a coalition of more than 50 environment charities, says increasing organic farming can help farm businesses, reduce climate emissions, and help nature by cutting pesticide […]
By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information
The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.
