Scottish Environment LINK has today launched a new report, Restoring Scotland’s Waters, calling on the Scottish government to take urgent action to protect and restore Scotland’s rivers, lochs, wetlands and coastal waters ahead of its next River Basin Management Plan due in December 2027.
Scotland’s rivers and lochs are under threat from sewage spills, pollution and climate change. The country’s sewers are known to have spilled more than 21,000 times in 2023, but the actual number of spills is likely to be much higher. Scotland’s waters are seeing a rise in the types of chemical pollutants being detected, including pharmaceuticals. 284,000 of Scotland’s properties, businesses and services are currently estimated to be at risk from flooding.
The Restoring Scotland’s Waters report reviews progress under the current River Basin Plan and finds that Scotland risks missing its 2027 target of achieving good ecological status for all water bodies. It sets out ten key priorities to steer the next plan and deliver healthier water environments for nature and people.
A blueprint for action
Restoring Scotland’s Waters identifies practical, evidence-based actions, including:
- Managing water from source to sea to reflect the natural connectivity of catchments;
- Reducing sewage spills and urban pollution from Scotland’s ageing sewer network;
- Building climate resilience through river restoration, wetlands and natural flood management;
- Tackling invasive non-native species and chemical pollution;
- Expanding monitoring to include small waterbodies and baseline data collection.
Craig Macadam, author of the report and member of Scottish Environment LINK’s Freshwater Group, said:
“Scotland’s rivers and lochs are vital to our economy, wildlife and wellbeing yet many remain degraded and at risk. The next River Basin Plan must be more ambitious, investing in nature-based solutions that work with water, not against it. We need a genuine step change in how Scotland manages its freshwater.”
A call for leadership
The report urges the Scottish Government, Scotland Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Scottish Water to embed restoration and nature-based solutions across policy and investment programmes, ensuring the next River Basin Plan delivers for both climate and biodiversity goals.
Dr Deborah Long, Chief Executive of Scottish Environment LINK, said:
“Restoring Scotland’s waters is about more than ecology, it’s about resilience, health and the future of our communities. With the climate and nature crises accelerating, the next River Basin Plan must deliver transformative action, not slow incremental progress.”