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media release everyone - Scotland's environment groups campaigning together (500,000 supporters, 25 organisations, ONE voice) Executive's environment commitments to be put to the test Groups outline 'acid tests' ahead of Minister's evidence to Committee Wednesday 3 September 2003 Published today, the 'Everyone's Watching' report details what the Executive needs to do to deliver on over 80 environment-related pledges made within its Partnership Agreement.
Amongst the recommendations drawn up are a series of 'acid tests' which the groups believe are critical to delivering for people and the environment.
Amongst the 'acid tests' are calls for:
Spokesperson for the 'Everyone' campaign, Lloyd Austin, said: “There can be little doubt that the environment was pushed up the political agenda during the last election. The Executive's response to the realisation that the electorate wanted action on the environment was to commit itself to a substantial number of environment policies. We warmly welcome these commitments and congratulate the Executive for responding quickly to the public's desire for action in such an important area.
“However, the challenge now will be whether in four years time the Executive will have lived up to their promises. The recommendations we are making are not rocket science. Mostly they are just plain common sense. Amongst them are a number of acid tests which we believe must be delivered if real progress is to be made.”
Notes to editors
[1] On Wednesday 3 September (at approx 11:30am) Committee Room 2 the Environment and Rural Development Committee will take evidence from Ross Finnie MSP (Minister for Environment and Rural Development) on his programme for implementation of the Executive’s commitments as set out in "A Partnership for a Better Scotland".
[2] The briefing entitled 'Everyone's Watching' details what the Executive needs to do to deliver on over 80 environmental pledges made within its Partnership Agreement: 'Everyone's Watching' can be downloaded
from: http://www.everyonecan.org/watching.pdf
[3] The 'Everyone' campaign is an initiative from Scottish Environment LINK. Prior to the Scottish Parliamentary elections last May some 26 organisations with nearly half a million supporters, combined forces to push the environment up the political agenda. An opinion poll by System 3 published by the campaign in February correctly predicted that the environment was likely to be a decisive issue for the majority of voters during last May's Scottish elections.
The campaign featured 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. It also features a campaigning website for supporters to target candidate MSPs directly.
As part of the campaign the groups commissioned an independent assessment of the first four years of the Scottish Parliament. The report, ‘For better or worse?’, concluded that the Parliament and Executive have made big advances towards addressing environmental concerns, but that they need to step up a gear to deliver significant action to match the rhetoric.
While it found that the quantity and the quality of legislation and policy initiatives achieved far more than anyone could have imagined before devolution ”on too many occasions policy was announced and strategies published, but the delivery was too slow, or is still awaited.”
Further information and background briefings and reports on this site.
For further information/interviews contact (Everyone spokesperson) Lloyd Austin on 07801 030397.
This release on behalf of the 'Everyone' campaign by:
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