On a visit to Kinwegar Recycling Centre on 19th October to coincide with Recycle Week 2023 Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack has said that the Scottish Government’s proposed Circular Economy Bill must support councils, not ask them to do more with less.
Following discussions earlier in the year with councillors across Scotland Ms Boyack was concerned at the lack and uncertainty of support the Scottish Government is providing councils in planning for and implementing changes to household waste recycling currently indicated in the Bill.
Commenting, Ms Boyack said: “Our visit to Kinwegar Recycling Centre showed first hand the brilliant work many local councils are doing in helping increase recycling and reuse.
“However, it is clear that SNP/Green Scottish Government’s failure to fund our local services properly will jeopardise our goal of reducing waste.
“First we had Lorna Slater’s disastrous handling of the Deposit Return Scheme followed by a UK Tory Government’s abdication of climate responsibility, now councillors are again worried about being asked to do more with less.
“Scottish Labour will take a proactive approach to the Bill to ensure it truly boosts recycling and reuse and delivers a circular economy in our communities.”
Labour councillor for local Preston Seton Gosford ward, Brooke Ritchie said, “East Lothian Council was rightly named in the top ten for waste recycling rates in Scotland, but without additional funding the SNP/Green Scottish Government are putting that at risk.
“It’s time the SNP/Green Scottish Government matched the funding with the rhetoric and funded councils properly.”
The City of Edinburgh has claimed the top spot of councils in Scotland on climate action, it has been announced this week (Wednesday 18 October) by Climate Emergency UK.
The Council Climate Action Scorecards cover 7 sections, ask 91 questions, and were created in consultation with over 90 different organisations and key individuals.
Collectively this provides some of the most in-depth analysis of climate action in UK local authorities to date.
With a total score of 58%, the City of Edinburgh Council ranks joint 4th overall in the UK, and 1st in Scotland. Edinburgh was also the only council outside of London which placed in the top six of the table.
Edinburgh scored highest in the sections for Collaboration & Engagement (78%), Planning & Land Use (70%) and Waste Reduction & Food (67%).
Disappointingly, only 41 of the UK’s 388 local and combined authorities scored above 50%, with the average score being just 32%.
The Council will use the Scorecards to understand where it can be bolder, and where it needs to make faster progress on climate action.
Council Leader Cammy Day said:“Whilst I welcome this excellent news about Edinburgh’s ranking from Climate Emergency UK, we still have a long road ahead to reach our goal of Edinburgh becoming a net zero city by 2030 and addressing the other key challenges in our 2030 Climate Strategy.
“It is important though that we highlight the good progress we’re making. From pioneering our sustainable active travel and public transport networks, to combatting food waste, and making our Council houses and buildings more energy efficient, alongside flagship projects like our Granton Waterfront net zero redevelopment (above), I’m inspired by what I see around the city.
“I’d add that in the next few months reports on our Council Emissions Reduction Plan (CERP) and progress on city-wide emissions, and delivery of our 2030 Climate Strategy will be heard at committee.
“I’m conscious that whilst local government has a key role to play in our just transition to net zero, but this must be done alongside wider society with coordination and cooperation alongside government, private sector, third sector and our citizens.
“This was underlined in January of this year, when the Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee stated clearly in their report that Scotland will not meet its climate targets without a more empowered local government sector, and the removal of key barriers facing not only our Council but many across the country.
“We’re bold and ambitious in our approach and aims, but this is absolutely essential if we are to properly confront the climate emergency, which is undoubtedly the key existential challenge of our times. “
Climate Emergency UK Co-Director Annie Pickering said:“The low scores across the board shows that there are national barriers for local authorities that make it harder for most councils to deliver the necessary climate action.
“A lack of funding and government policy U-turns are some of the barriers to effective local climate action.”
Wet wipes containing plastic could be banned as part of proposals to tackle plastic and microplastic pollution.
The consultation, which is being undertaken by all four UK nations, seeks views on a proposed ban on the manufacture, supply and sale of plastic-containing wet wipes across the UK.
Wet wipes containing plastic break down into microplastics over time, which can be harmful to the environment and human health. Banning these products would help alleviate this issue, as well as reducing the volume of microplastics entering wastewater treatment plants when wrongly flushed.
The consultation comes in response to public calls for action to tackle plastic pollution in waterways, and widespread support for the proposed ban.
Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “This is very welcome progress towards a goal we all want to achieve: tackling plastic pollution.
“Wet wipes containing plastic are an avoidable and yet a growing source of beach litter. They are unsightly; they pose risks to the environment and wildlife; and annually they contribute to around 36,000 sewer system blockages in Scotland, risking flooding and costing approximately £7 million to clear.
“This is only the first step: legislation alone cannot solve this issue and we all need to be more careful about what we flush. We continue to support Scottish Water’s ‘Nature Calls’ campaign highlighting the impact of inappropriately-flushed items and the damage they cause to our environment.
“We have already successfully delivered a ban on other single-use plastic products such as straws and cutlery – which also contribute to marine litter. This will deliver on a commitment made in our Marine Litter Strategy and is another important step on our journey towards a truly circular economy.”
Campaigners have written to the Scottish Government urging them to use their powers to stop the development of three incinerators that otherwise will be built, despite Ministers banning new incinerators in 2022.
Local community groups and environmental campaigners have written to Lorna Slater, Minister for the Circular Economy, calling for the Scottish Government to “close this gaping loophole” and immediately stop plans for unnecessary incinerators being built in Scotland.
In 2022, the Scottish Government banned plans for new incinerators after an independent review found that Scotland will have more capacity to manage waste than there is waste to burn by 2027. However, incinerators that had planning approval before the ban came into force were not included in the ban.
There are at least three incinerators (Avondale Energy from Waste in Falkirk; Inverurie in Aberdeenshire; and Levenseat 2 in South Lanarkshire) that have planning permission but have not yet entered construction. If they were built they will create unnecessary and harmful emissions which will put the Scottish Government’s climate and recycling agendas at risk.
The letter asks the Scottish Government to use its powers under the Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) Regulations to direct the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) to refuse to award permits to new incinerators. Without these permits, the incinerators are not allowed to operate.
As well as burning valuable resources, incinerators contribute to climate breakdown by emitting greenhouse gases from the waste they burn. On average, burning one tonne of waste emits one tonne of CO2 directly into the atmosphere.
John Young from the Dovesdale Action Group, who successfully campaigned against incineration plans in South Lanarkshire, said: “Whilst we endure a climate emergency, nationally we are not on target to meet our commitments to reduce emissions or increase household recycling.
“Plans for new incinerators hinder our ability to meet these targets. Burning our resources does not support the national agenda for a circular economy, nor does it recognise the impact on communities and the environment. If we are to reduce the impact of waste, we need to stop polluting our air with greenhouse gases and transform the waste industry for the benefit of the people, not shareholders.”
Dr Ronald Parr, local activist concerned about the planned incinerator in Inverurie, said: “The Inverurie incinerator is redundant before it even opens. If it is built, the North East of Scotland will struggle with two large incinerators just 15 miles apart.”
Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “If all the incinerators that have planning permission were built, Scotland would have more capacity than there is waste to burn in four years time.
“Plans to build unnecessary incinerators must be rapidly reversed. The Scottish Government has the power to do this by directing SEPA to refuse permits, and they must use it.
“Incinerators are a terrible way of getting rid of waste – burning resources means we can’t reuse them and burning plastic releases carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to climate breakdown.”
Shlomo Dowen, National Coordinator of UKWIN, said: “Scotland has a great vision to move towards a more circular economy, and that means less incineration and more reduction, reuse and recycling of waste.
“However, this greener future is put at risk by incineration overcapacity because once built these burners will need to be provided with a constant supply of waste. The Scottish Government needs to act urgently to close this gaping loophole in their incineration moratorium before it is too late.”
The three incinerator plants which have obtained planning permission prior to the ban but have not yet begun construction or obtained a permit are: Avondale Energy from Waste in Falkirk; Inverurie in Aberdeen; and Levenseat 2 in South Lanarkshire. The Glenfarg incinerator in Perthshire and Oldhall incinerator in North Ayrshire are believed to be in the early construction stages and do not have permits.
The local community groups and environmental groups who have written the joint letter to the Scottish Government are:
Community Groups and individuals:
Ayrshire Against Incineration Group Badenoch & Strathspey Conservation Group Dovesdale Action Group Friends of the Earth Falkirk Friends of the Earth Inverness and Ross Irvine Without Incinerators
Environmental Groups:
Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland Friends of the Earth Scotland UK Without Incineration Network (UKWIN)
Scottish and Welsh Ministers press UK Government on new partnership
The Scottish and Welsh governments have written to the UK Government calling for a new four nations summit on reaching net zero, to be chaired by the independent Climate Change Committee.
The call follows the Prime Minister’s speech on climate change last week.
The letter, co-signed by Scotland’s Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan and Wales’ Minister for Climate Change Julie James, highlights the weakness of current arrangements for working with the devolved nations and calls for greater UK collaboration in agreeing the pathway towards the UK’s legally-binding net zero targets.
The two governments propose that the summit be chaired by the independent Climate Change Committee, which acts as a statutory adviser to all four nations.
The full text of the letter to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations is below:
Rt Hon Michael Gove MP Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations House of Commons London SW1A 0AA
28 September 2023
Dear Michael,
This is a joint letter from myself and Julie James, Minister for Climate Change, Welsh Government.
We write to highlight our disappointment in relation to the Prime Minister’s statement last week (20 September) announcing that the UK Government is significantly changing course on key net zero commitments.
Despite the far-reaching implications of the announcements made – with substantial changes in policy that will impact progress in delivering net zero and have profoundly negative implications for the environment and economy across the UK and further affect the UK’s international reputation – there was no prior engagement with the devolved governments. Given that delivery of the climate ambitions of the four nations of the UK are intrinsically linked, this is deeply unsatisfactory.
In addition, almost a week later, it is hugely frustrating that the UK Government has not provided the level of detail required by such significant announcements. We would urge you to provide this immediately to enable devolved governments to fully assess the implications.
Regarding Scotland, the Scottish Government will separately be writing to the UK Government shortly, in more detail, setting out areas in which progress urgently needs to be clarified. Regarding Wales, the Welsh Government has also separately written to the UK Government, seeking further clarity on the impacts of the recent policy changes on Wales.
Tackling the twin crises of climate change and nature loss is one of the most significant challenges facing people and planet this century and all nations of the UK must work in partnership to complete the net zero journey. Delivering progress on net zero requires urgent action and higher ambition from the UK Government on issues reserved to Westminster to complement the action taken under devolved powers. The Climate Change Committee has been clear that action by the UK Government is important for delivery of climate change targets around the UK, just as action in Scotland and Wales is crucial to UK targets.
Since last week’s process shows the weakness of current arrangements, we are now urging you to establish a new, mutually respectful partnership, with the aim of developing an agreed four nation approach to net zero in a collaborative manner. We therefore invite you to commit, in the first instance, to a high-level summit for a four nation approach and to agree with us that our statutory advisers, the independent Climate Change Committee, be invited to chair the summit.
We are also copying in Katrina Godfrey, Permanent Secretary at the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs and the Secretary of State at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Delivering a fair and secure net zero energy system
A strategy to drive Scotland’s fair and just transition away from fossil fuels will be published by next Summer.
Energy Minister Gillian Martin announced the timeline as the consultation responses to the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, and independent analysis of those responses, were published.
The responses, and continued engagement with a range of interested parties including industry, the Just Transition Commission and the Scottish Energy Advisory Board, will inform the finalised strategy.
Stressing the importance of reaching net zero in a way that spreads the benefits and costs of energy decarbonisation fairly, Ms Martin re-iterated calls for the UK Government to do more to accelerate investment, reform markets and ensure benefits flow to communities.
Ms Martin said: “Delivering on our climate obligations with an unwavering commitment to a fair and just journey to net zero is an absolute priority for the Scottish Government.
“The consultation confirmed broad support for our vision and highlighted the importance of providing policy certainty to enable investment in skills, infrastructure and technologies. We will now publish our Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan by next Summer, setting out how we intend to create a net zero energy system that delivers affordable, secure and clean energy while benefiting communities across Scotland by providing high quality jobs and economic opportunities.
“We believe that all future extraction of fossil fuels must be subject to strict climate compatibility and energy security tests. Our focus is on meeting our energy security needs, reducing emissions and delivering affordable energy supplies, whilst ensuring a just transition for our oil and gas workforce as North Sea resources decline.”
No let-up – the devastating decline of our wildlife continues
The results are in, and they make grim reading. The latest State of Nature report shows that much of the wildlife in the UK and its Overseas territories is in serious trouble.
In Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) 1,500 species are now at risk of being lost completely.
In Northern Ireland, 281 face a similar fate if we don’t take action.
But there is reason for hope. We’ve never had a better understanding of the state of nature and what is needed to fix it.
Nature reality check
The State of Nature report is the most up-to-date and accurate picture we have of how nature is doing in the UK and its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It brings together information from more than 60 research and conservation organisations collected by thousands of skilled volunteers.
Wildlife at risk of extinction in Great Britain
The report’s findings show that one in six (16%) of the over ten thousand species studied in Great Britain are at risk of becoming extinct. That’s almost 1,500 species which could disappear. In Northern Ireland, 281 species could be lost.
A closer look at Great Britain shows that the figure is much higher for some types of wildlife. We could lose:
43% of birds
31% of amphibians and reptiles
28% of fungi and lichens
26% of land mammals
This includes much loved species such as Turtle Dove, Water Vole and European Eel.
Fewer flowers and hoverflies
Many plants are vanishing from places where they were previously found, including more than half (54%) of flowering plants, such as Heather and Harebell.
Invertebrate species are found, on average, in 13% fewer places now than in 1970. There have been stronger declines in some insect groups with important roles, such as pollinators like bees and hoverflies.
Degraded habitats
Today, only one in seven (14%) of the UK’s important habitats for wildlife were found to be in good condition, with only 7% of our woodland and only 25% of peatlands making the grade. The way we fish means large areas of the seafloor around the UK are not in good condition.
The reasons behind nature’s decline
The report found the changes in the way we manage our land for farming, and climate change were the biggest causes of wildlife decline on our land, rivers and lakes. At sea, and around our coasts, it was as a result of unsustainable fishing, climate change and marine development.
The State of Nature report focuses on recent changes in biodiversity but we’ve been shaping our landscapes and wildlife for thousands of years. The UK’s nature has been depleted by centuries of habitat loss, development and persecution well before our data gathering began in 1970. The report shows evidence that the UK now has less than half of its biodiversity remaining because of human activity.
Reasons for hope
Some things are improving. There are now more sustainably managed woodlands (44%), and sustainably harvested fish stocks (50%) than there were 20 years ago. But there’s still a long way to go.
The support for nature-friendly farming has also increased, as has the number of farmland schemes which are designed to benefit the environment. But at the moment the best available information suggests that nature-friendly farming needs to take place at a much wider scale to halt the decline in farmland wildlife.
The report also includes examples of how wildlife conservation projects can make a huge difference, such as the creation of the Marine Protected Area in Lyme Bay, southern England. Here many species have increased since trawling was banned in 2008. Ongoing restoration projects, such as for peatland and seagrass beds, are helping to stem declines while also helping us mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Much work to be done
Despite these wins, the report shows that time is running out if we’re going to see nature recover in the UK and its Overseas Territories. The report says the scale and ambition of our efforts need to be ramped up and delivered on a much bigger scale, with nature’s recovery firmly cemented into the laws and policies which shape how we manage our land and seas. We have never had a better understanding of the State of Nature and what is needed to fix it.
Read the full report
We’ve given you the key findings, but there’s much more detail in the full report on how our wildlife and wild places are doing and what needs to be done to help nature recover
Homeowners and businesses need to be prepared as Storm Agnes approaches. But be assured that, should you suffer any storm damage, insurers will do everything they can to help you recover as quickly as possible.
Damage caused by storms is covered by standard home insurance, commercial business policies, and comprehensive motor insurance.
Mark Shepherd, Head of General Insurance Policy at the Association of British Insurers said: “Insurers expect bad weather at any time and their priority is always to help their affected customers recover as quickly as possible.
“Where properties are damaged by floods or storms, insurers will be on hand to make emergency payments, arrange any temporary emergency accommodation, and make sure the damage is repaired.
“If you suffer damage to your property, contact your insurer as soon as you can for help and advice.”
The ABI advises people to:
· Keep a close eye on weather warnings, and follow advice from The Met Office, The Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Natural Resources Wales and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland.
· Where possible, store items left in gardens that can easily be blown away and cause damage, like ladders, inside, or ensure they are secure.
· Have contact details of your home insurer to hand, along with other emergency contact numbers for your utility providers and the local authority.
If you suffer storm damage:
· Contact your insurer as soon as possible. Most will have 24-hour emergency helplines to ensure you get advice on what to do and arrange repairs as quickly as is possible.
· If necessary, arrange temporary emergency repairs to stop any damage getting worse, but speak to your insurer first. If you have to arrange emergency repairs yourself, tell your insurer and keep any receipts, as this will form part of your claim.
· Do not be in a rush to throw away damaged items, unless they are a danger to health, as these may be able to be repaired or restored. Your insurer will advise.
If your home is uninhabitable while repairs are being carried out, your insurer will arrange for, and pay the cost of, any alternative temporary accommodation you may need in line with your policy.
Commercial polices will cover damage to premises and stock. Business interruption cover (which may be included or purchased separately) will cover additional trading costs, such as hiring temporary alternative trading premises if necessary.
Comprehensive motor insurance covers the cost of repairing or replacing vehicles damaged by storms.
The North Sea Transition Authority has today granted development and production consent for the Rosebank field, north-west of Shetland.
The consent has been given by the oil and gas regulator to owners Equinor and Ithaca Energy, following the acceptance of the Environmental Statement.
An NSTA spokesperson said: “We have today approved the Rosebank Field Development Plan which allows the owners to proceed with their project.
“The FDP is awarded in accordance with our published guidance and taking net zero considerations into account throughout the project’s lifecycle.”
GREEN MP Caroline Lucas described the announcement as “the greatest act of environmental vandalism in my lifetime, causing emissions equal to 28 lowest income countries, busting #climate targets & doing nothing for energy security since vast majority is for export” #climatecriminals
Labour’s Environment spokesperson, Shadow Climate and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Here’s what it means. Rosebank: £3.75bn of taxpayer subsidy which could have been invested in renewables. 80% of oil exported, not a penny off bills, equivalent to half all UK emissions for a year.
“Colossal waste of taxpayer money and climate vandalism.” However Ed’s boss Sir Keir Starmer has already said that a future Labour government will NOT reverse the decision.
More responses from environmental organisations to follow
