Rural and Environment

  • Environment Secretary: ‘Global climate emergency has not gone away’

    7th October 2020 by

    Environment and Climate Change Secretary, Roseanna Cunningham today responded to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) 2020 statutory Scottish Progress Report. She said: “While in recent months coronavirus (COVID-19) has rightly been the overwhelming focus of governments across the world, the global climate emergency has not gone away – far from it – and this…

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  • Launch of ScotWind

    11th June 2020 by

    Crown Estate Scotland has launched ScotWind, the first round of offshore wind leasing to be administered in Scotland.

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  • The EU has been a good friend to rural Scotland

    31st January 2020 by

    The EU has been a good friend to rural Scotland.

    For the whole of the Scottish Parliament’s lifetime, the rural economy has benefitted from our membership.

    Over the years, our engagement with it has allowed Scotland to push our case on everything from agriculture and fisheries policy reform, to fishing quotas and forestry. Scotland has had a voice in the room – a room we will no longer be able to enter.

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  • In the news: Land use report

    23rd January 2020 by

    You may have seen coverage in the media around the UK Committee on Climate Change’s latest report into Land Use.

    The report states that land use must change to meet the UK’s net zero target. Although it is possible to reduce the emission of Greenhouse Gases in ways that are consistent with other strategic priorities for land – such as food production and biodiversity – the current UK & Devolved Administration policy frameworks for food production, forestry, and environment will not achieve the net zero target and must change significantly.

    The Scottish Government’s response is below.

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  • Start planning for your low carbon future

    17th January 2020 by

    2019 will be remembered as the year that Scotland took a stand on the global climate emergency and saw the introduction of our new world-leading climate change legislation.

    This sets a target date for Scotland to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045. This means that our contribution to climate change will end, definitively, within one generation. This transition will be for the benefit of our environment, our people, now and in the future.

    Let me be clear though, achieving this will require additional effort and will present challenges and opportunities, including for farming and food production.

    It is indisputable that our agricultural industry has a vital role to play in tackling climate change. Indeed I have been clear for many years that farming and food production are part of the solution.

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  • In the news: Beach clean

    28th November 2019 by

    You may have seen in the media today (Guardian, BBC) that the Marine Conservation Society has released the results of its most recent Great British Beach Clean.

    In Scotland, the results show it was another record-breaking year, with more beach cleans taking place and more volunteers getting involved than ever before. The survey found that 7,669 kg of litter was removed from the Scottish coastline as a result of their efforts.

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  • Agriculture Support Outlined

    1st November 2019 by

    Following a six year campaign, and sustained pressure by successive Scottish Ministers and key farmer and crofter organisations, an historic wrong has finally been righted. Scotland is getting its convergence funding after all.

    This wrong saw the UK qualify for a £190 million uplift in EU funding, but Scotland only received £30 million. That money provided for an uplift, that without Scotland’s extremely low average rate per hectare, the UK would not have qualified for.

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  • Animals and animal products after Brexit

    17th October 2019 by

    Scotland does not want to leave the EU but there is a strong risk that we may end up leaving without a deal in place on 31st October 2019.

    While the Scottish Government is doing as much as it can to mitigate the impact of leaving the EU, we will not be able to prevent or address every impact.

    Leaving the EU will mean things we are used to happening, or which we agreed to as part of a Member State, will no longer stand.

    This note sets out what you need to do what you need to do to ensure you can continue to transport live animals into and out of the EU after Brexit.

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  • Pet Travel to the EU after Brexit

    15th October 2019 by

    Scotland does not want to leave the EU but there is a strong risk that we may end up leaving without a deal in place on 31st October 2019.

    While the Scottish Government is doing as much as it can to mitigate the impact of leaving the EU, we cannot mitigate for every impact.

    Leaving the EU will mean things we currently take for granted, or which we agreed to as part of a Member State, will no longer stand.

    This note sets out what you need to do what you need to do to make sure your family pet can travel to the EU after Brexit.

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  • Trading with the EU after Brexit

    14th October 2019 by

    Scotland does not want to leave the EU but there is a strong risk that we may end up leaving without a deal in place on 31st October 2019.

    While the Scottish Government is doing as much as it can to mitigate the impact of leaving the EU, we cannot mitigate for every impact.

    Leaving the EU will mean things we currently take for granted, or which we agreed to as part of a Member State, will no longer stand.

    This note sets out what you need to do to ensure your food and drink business can continue to import/export to and from the EU after Brexit.

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