Following COP30 recently held in Belém, Brazil (10–21 November), the global community once again faces a stark warning: we are running out of time. The UN Secretary-General reminded nations that The UN Secretary-General stated that global temperatures going above the crucial 1.5ºC limit is likely to happen by the early 2030s. He stressed that we need a paradigm shift to limit how high and for how long we go above that limit.
Against this urgent international backdrop, Scotland stands at a pivotal moment of its own. With elections scheduled for May 2026, the next Parliamentary term (2026–2031) will be the last before Scotland reaches its 2030 climate and nature targets, the final opportunity for government and parliament to deliver meaningful change.
On 6th October, Sea Scotland organised its first-ever Ocean Hustings (a pre-election event during which candidates or political parties debate policies and answer questions from the audience) a milestone event held at the midpoint of two significant United Nations initiatives: the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
The debate panel was chaired by Claudia Beamish, former Labour Party MSP and Spokesperson for Climate change, environment and land reform, and included representatives from:
- Scottish Green Party representative – Ariane Burgess, MSP
- Scottish Liberal Democrats candidate – Councillor Sanne Dijkstra-Downie
- Scottish National Party candidate – Councillor Kate Campbell
- Scottish Labour Party candidate – Councillor Conor Savage
Scottish Conservatives representative sent their apologies.
A youth Manifesto for Scotland’s Seas – calling for bold leadership
This year, the conference partnered with Young Sea Changers Scotland (YSCS), underscoring the importance of ensuring that youth voices are central to decision-making about the ocean’s future.
A major highlight of the event was the launch of the YSCS Youth Manifesto for Scotland’s Seas, a powerful statement shaped by young people from across the country. From coastal communities to inland towns, the manifesto captures the aspirations and urgency of a generation determined to safeguard our marine environment.
The Youth Manifesto calls on political leaders to:
- Recognise the ocean as a foundation for climate stability, biodiversity, and community wellbeing.
- Embed young people’s priorities into party manifestos ahead of the next parliamentary term. The message was clear: act now to protect our seas for future generations.
Hustings summary – party aspirations and commitments
Ahead of the hustings event, delegates were invited to submit questions, reflecting the wide range of interests and concerns across Scotland’s marine community — from biodiversity recovery and sustainable fisheries to ocean literacy and coastal resilience.
Sea Scotland Chair, Claudia Beamish, highlighted recurring themes in the questions that were put forward by delegates and shared these with the panel.
The full report and details of Scottish political parties’ responses are available here.
Here is a summary of the main commitments and aspirations shared by the political parties:
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Climate, biodiversity and Just transition
All parties agreed on the need for marine spatial planning to better balance climate targets and expansion of renewable energies, fisheries and environment protection.
- Liberal Democrats emphasised the importance of science-led spatial planning and meaningful community engagement.
- Greens called for an end of bottom-towed gear and expanding well-designed no-take zones.
- Labour called for rebuilding the marine science capacity and ensuring affected communities shape decisions
- The SNP stressed the central role the National Marine Part 2 (NMP2) will play, the need for robust data and early stakeholder engagement.
2. Pollution
Speakers agreed that tackling such a multifaceted issue demanded an integrated approach.
- Labour (Cllr Conor Savage) highlighted the importance of a source-to-sea approach and expanding nature-based solutions.
- SNP (Cllr Kate Campbell) stressed reducing plastics and tackling lost fishing gear.
- Lib Dems (Cllr Sanne Dijkstra- Downie) called for sewage reform, a Clean Water Act and circular-economy measures.
- Greens highlighted bans on single-use plastics, regenerative farming and a national fishing-gear clean-up scheme.
3. Fisheries and Community Involvement
- All parties supported meaningful involvement with young people. Proposals included Youth Advisory Panels (Labour), integrating youth with other stakeholders (Lib Dems), direct community-level engagement (Greens), and early equal-status involvement (SNP).
- All parties also supported restricting damaging practices and rewarding sustainable fleets, with variations on enforcement, quota reform and just transition; as well as ocean literacy, clearer communication, and collaboration to accelerate marine recovery.
The Conversation is just beginning
While political parties’ intentions were encouraging, clarity on how these ambitions will be delivered remains essential. Scotland’s marine environment and coastal communities need not only pledges, but practical pathways to implementation.
The questions raised at the Sea Scotland Ocean Hustings capture the priorities, challenges, and aspirations of a diverse and passionate community. We now invite all participating parties and candidates to view these questions not just as a record of discussion, but as an invitation to engage further, to respond, and to build on the dialogue initiated at Sea Scotland 2025.
This conversation is only beginning. By continuing it, Scotland can stay on course to meet its national and international commitments, ensuring that our seas remain healthy, resilient, and thriving for generations to come.
Missed out on Sea Scotland 2025? Watch the recording of the livestream on LINK’s YouTube channel