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World Wildlife Day
3rd March 2021
Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment Ben Macpherson – UN World Wildlife Day. FROM mountain hares and sea eagles to porpoises and whales, Scotland boasts some incredible wildlife. This World Wildlife Day, people across the globe will join together – to appreciate the natural world around them, to learn more about the importance…
Reflections of Chief Vet: 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak
1st March 2021
February marked the 20th anniversary of the start of the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak of 2001 – the worst the UK has experienced. But it wasn’t until 1 March 2001 that the first case was identified in Scotland. As I have said before this is, in no way, an anniversary to be celebrated. It…
Restoring our peatlands is a huge win for Scotland
16th February 2021
Writing in Scotland on Sunday, Environment and Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham discusses how peatland restoration can help in our global fight against climate change. CARBON gold – not often words that spring to mind when thinking about Scotland’s boggy landscape. Yet that is exactly what our peatlands are – huge stores of carbon created…
Working together to maximise the potential of our land.
5th February 2021
Regional Land Use Partnerships are being piloted to help develop Scotland’s approach to land use in support of our green recovery and transition to net-zero. The Partnerships will help national and local government, communities, land owners and stakeholders work together to find ways to optimise land use in a fair and inclusive way – meeting…
Compensation needed for Scotland’s food and drink businesses
14th January 2021
Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing has urged the UK Government to provide compensation to Scotland’s beleaguered food and drink sector as a result of the current trade issues. The sector is currently facing a series of challenging impacts as a result of the Brexit deal establishing new non-tariff barriers. This is compounded by the coronavirus…
Update on seafood sector exports
12th January 2021
Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing met key seafood businesses and organisations this afternoon to discuss the ongoing issues affecting trade. Following the meeting, he said: “The plain facts are these very serious problems have arisen because of Brexit and the UK Government’s failure to agree to proposals about how to implement it – in particular…
Post-Brexit seafood export delays
7th January 2021
Responding to reports of delays with exporting seafood from Scotland to the EU as a result of post-Brexit arrangements, Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing issued a statement. He said: “The Scottish Government, together with Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and Scottish Local Authorities, have been working intensively for many months to mitigate the worst impacts of…
Response to new UK emissions target
4th December 2020
Commenting on today’s announcement from the UK Government that, as part of their nationally determined contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, they are targeting a 68% cut in emissions by 2030, Scotland’s Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “The news that the UK Government is targeting a 68% cut in emissions by 2030 is welcome…
Update on Environmental Standards Scotland
4th December 2020
Chair and members put forward for appointment. The Scottish Government has today announced its intention to recommend the former Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, Jim Martin, as Chair of Scotland’s new environmental body, Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS). It is proposed that the Chair will be supported by four other members with experience of the environment sector…
In conversation: Natural Environment Minister Marie Gougeon discusses the Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy
26th November 2020
We spoke to Marie Gougeon, Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment, about the Scottish Government’s recently published Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy. …