Media Release

media release

everyone - Scotland's environment groups campaigning together (500,000 supporters, 25 organisations, ONE voice)

Manifestos compared on environmental commitments (1)

Friday 25th April 2003

With one week to go before polling day, the Scottish environment movement’s ‘Everyone’ campaign has published an assessment of political party manifesto commitments on the environment and sustainable development. The comparison is set against challenges made by Everyone in advance of the election campaign and is the most comprehensive of any judgement on environmental credentials in the run up to polling day. (2)

The assessment shows the Green Party way out in front on specific commitments. The Lib Dems are awarded a ‘very good’ but with reservations over ability to convert commitments into actions in a coalition government. The SNP is rated ‘good’ but ‘could do better’. Labour struggles with a failure to detail specific actions. The SSP gets a ‘fairly good’ rating but with gaps. The Conservatives are nowhere, with some proposals that will actually damage the environment.

All manifestos were assessed against 36 challenges in 9 key areas: Food, Wildlife, Climate change, Clean air and Transport, Waste, Healthy Seas, Sustainability, Land and Freshwater. A rating was produced defining: commitment to specific challenges, measures that go some way towards meeting the challenge, no significant reference, challenge ignored or with opposite effect and proposals too vague to judge. The full ‘at a glance’ document is available on the Everyone campaigning website: www.everyonecan.org (3)

Commenting on the analysis, spokesperson for the Everyone Campaign George Baxter, said, “There is no doubt that the environment is featuring strongly in most manifestos. The response to our agenda is very welcome. But this assessment cuts through rhetorical jargon and focuses on clear commitments to deliver action.

“We cannot support any particular party – what we hope is that supporters and voters will use this information to target local candidates and to inform their votes. However, what we would say is that the Green Party’s high scoring on solid commitments certainly reinforces its aim to be the ‘green conscience’ of the next parliament. All other parties made numerous commitments but responded less clearly on our agenda for specific action. The Lib dems have scored highly but will have to be more effective in translating words into action than last term, especially if involved in a partnership coalition with Labour.”

“The SNP get a ‘good’ but need to get more specific and also iron out contradictions in policy, especially in relation to climate change, transport and roads. The SSP make many promises but have unfortunately failed to accept any of our top challenges, leaving gaps on key issues. The Labour Party commitments are a disappointment, many good words but light on specifics. The Tories appear not to register the environment as an issue worthy of any government action. The lack of specific spending commitments on environmental concerns across most of the parties is a concern.”

This assessment complements a major report on the last four years on delivery of environmental action since the start of the Scottish Parliament. The recently published ‘For Better or Worse’ concluded that, “on too many occasions policy was announced and strategies published, but the delivery … was too slow, or is still awaited.”

For further information contact George Baxter on 01887 820 449 or 07771 818 677, or Lloyd Austin (LINK Vice Chair) on 0131 311 6506 or 07801 030397.

Editors notes:

(1) Manifestos – overview:

Conservatives: Poor
Barely any mentions of environmental policies or proposals; some encouragement for local action on recycling, but nothing on the national level; propose to repeal or review recent environmental progress from Government; also plan a range of environmentally-damaging proposals.

Green: Excellent
Most of the LINK Everyone campaign challenges included, alongside a wide range of other proposed actions on “green” issues. Way ahead of all other parties in commitments to specific measures. Some reservations due to ambitious inclusion of some reserved matters, and although unlikely to form next Government, will provide a solid basis to act as a “green conscience.”

Labour: Fair, could do better
Some good pledges, but these are mostly limited to vague and unclear rhetoric. Especially disappointing given Jack McConnell’s alleged “green credentials.” Particularly weak in relation to sustainable development and transport; while, on Third Party Rights, climate, energy and wildlife, the comments are encouraging but lack clarity and commitment. Coastal park is an interesting “new idea” and commitment made to a green jobs strategy but short on details.

Liberal Democrats: Very good, but delivery needed.
Many detailed commitments across full range of LINK’s Everyone campaign challenges, with “green actions” linked to every policy area, strong on sustainable economic development; but a few weaknesses and contradictions, especially in relation to transport and climate change. Radical new ideas include judicial access for NGOs and environmental courts. To prove effective, these commitments must result in delivery in any coalition partnership.

SNP: Good, could do better
There are clear, positive commitments in relation to sustainable development, a sustainable economy, National Parks, climate change and planning. However, there are weak, unclear or less desirable statements on transport, fishing and agricultural reform. Some intrinsic contradictions – for example, support for road building and meeting climate change targets – need to be ironed out.

SSP: Fair to good
Commitments focus on certain areas, with a lot of good detail on specific proposals in the transport section and to some extent on waste, seas and agriculture. Other things fall between the cracks though - including renewables, nuclear power and wildlife protection. A very large number of radical proposals across the board and uncertain where environmental matters stand in relation to other priorities.

(2) The Everyone challenges are based on two documents. ‘Must Do It’ – the everyone manifesto for the election and ‘For Better or Worse’ an independent report into the first four years of the Parliament which concludes with key challenges for the next term.

(3) About the everyone campaign: The Everyone campaign is an initiative from Scottish Environment LINK. Some 26 organisations with nearly half a million supporters, combining forces to push the environment up the political agenda in the run up to the Scottish Parliamentary elections on May 1st. Already, an opinion poll by System 3 published by the campaign on 26th February shows that the environment is likely to be a decisive issue for the majority of voters during this May's Scottish elections.

The campaign features demands for a better environment with specific measures for clean air, healthy seas, safe food, less landfill, protection for wildlife and wild places, reduction in climate changing gases.