Media Release

media release

everyone - Scotland's environment groups campaigning together (500,000 supporters, 26 organisations, ONE voice)

Environment groups challenge the Executive to deliver on Sustainable Development

31 January 2005

A Report published today suggests that the gap between rhetoric and reality remains large in several areas of the Scottish Executive's environmental policy. Particular areas of concern are sustainable development and climate change. Fred Edwards, President of LINK, said, " There is ample evidence that the Scottish Executive is, for the most part, disposed to do the right things environmentally. However, there are big gaps." The Report, "Second Term, One Year On - government progress on the environment in Scotland", was produced by Citigate Public Affairs for "everyone", the campaign which brings together environmental groups to get environmental concerns higher up the political agenda.

Mr. Edwards continued, "Sustainability is the vital cross cutting issue. Yet this is the area where the gap between expressed intention and reality is particularly wide. The Executive has pursued unrestrained economic growth as a single, overriding goal, unqualified by considerations of sustainability. Research on life satisfaction has demonstrated that levels of satisfaction do not correlate to economic growth."

A wide range of politicians and environmentalists were surveyed about key areas of environmental policy. Whilst acknowledging that good progress had been made in areas such as nature conservation and Strategic Environmental Assessment, the Report concluded that there was a lot to be done in the next three years, if the Executive was going to deliver on its Partnership Agreement commitments on the environment.

The Report looked at seven key areas and concluded:

Sustainable development -In conflict between economic growth and sustainable development, economic growth is adopted as top priority
Rural development, land use, tourism and access - The Common Agricultural Policy reform is a step in the right direction.
Waste and recycling - a 1% per year reduction target for total waste is needed.
Air, fresh water and marine - A holistic system for managing the marine environment is needed, including fisheries management
Energy and climate change - The Executive must set a target for greenhouse gas emissions reduction. This must include addressing transport policies.
Transport - Spending on roads must be shifted to public transport. Although the Executive have said that 70% of Executive transport spending is on public transport, this does not include PPP projects e.g. the M74
Wildlife and conservation - Good progress with Nature Conservation Bill passed. This needs to be implemented effectively. The Executive has committed to primary legislation on SEA.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The full report is available online.

The everyone campaign is an initiative from Scottish Environment LINK.

The everyone campaign is supported by: Association of Regional and Island Archaeologists, Badenoch and Strathspey Conservation Group, Biological Recording in Scotland, Butterfly Conservation Scotland, Cairngorms Campaign, Friends of the Earth Scotland, Hebridean Whale& Dolphin Trust, John Muir Trust, Marine Conservation Society, Mountaineering Council of Scotland, The National Trust for Scotland, North East Mountain Trust, Plantlife, Ramblers' Association Scotland, Reforesting Scotland, RSPB Scotland, ruralScotland, Soil Association Scotland, Scottish Countryside Activities Council, Scottish Countryside Rangers' Association, Scottish Wild Land Group, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Sustrans Scotland, TRANSform Scotland, Woodland Trust Scotland and WWF Scotland

Further information:
Helen McDade tel. 01887 820449 m: 07780 957665 email hmcdade@wwfscotland.org.uk

Helen McDade
Campaigns Officer