Tag: campaigners

ARDEER: Anger as potential Site of Special Scientific Interest sand dunes are destroyed

Wildlife experts have been left devastated by the continued intentional destruction of dune habitat on the Ardeer Peninsula in Ayrshire by its landowners – despite the dunes being ear-marked as part of a potential Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Local community groups and national wildlife organisations called on Scottish Government agency NatureScot to designate the special habitats of the Ardeer Peninsula as part of a Garnock Estuary SSSI back in 2022, building on a long-running local campaign to protect its wildlife.

As it stands, much of the Ardeer Peninsula remains under threat from a Special Development Order dating back to 1953 which removes the requirements for planning permission that are needed almost anywhere else in Scotland. 

In a welcomed move, NatureScot has been reviewing the potential boundaries for a SSSI in recent years, a vital step towards protecting its mosaic of dunes, grassland, woodlands, scrub and wetlands

However, the local community has reported that despite NatureScot engaging with landowners about the potential designation, precious and irreplaceable sand dune habitat continues to be subject to sand extraction and further degradation through the dumping of soils, while large areas of biodiverse woodland have also been cleared.

Roger Hissett from the Ardeer Action Group said, “After more than a decade of campaigning by local naturalists it is tragic to see a developer determined to destroy the special and rare habitats and wildlife of this part of the Ardeer Peninsula. 

“It is so sad that this attitude still persists into the 21st century just when the area is being considered for protection for the benefit of future generations.” 

Rebecca Lewis, Buglife Scotland and Northern Ireland Manager said, “The Ardeer Peninsula has an important role to play in supporting the Scottish Government’s commitment to reversing biodiversity loss and NatureScot’s strategic goal of protecting 30% of Scotland’s land for nature by 2030.

“We are delighted that NatureScot agree that it is worthy of consideration for SSSI notification, but the ongoing activity is a blow to the integrity of this nationally important wildlife site- which has been called Scotland’s best site for bees.”

It is hoped that some of the damage that has taken place could be reversed with appropriate management and funding. The Garnock Estuary, which includes the Ardeer Peninsula in Stevenston and Garnock East in Irvine, is a unique mosaic of dunes, grassland, woodlands, scrub and wetlands.

Although it has been modified by the site’s complex industrial past, it remains an incomparable haven for wildlife, including species that have been lost across much of the landscape.

It is home to over 1,000 invertebrate species, including at least 99 of conservation concern and some found nowhere else in Scotland. The estuary is one of the most important breeding bird populations on the Lower Clyde coast and supports at least 46 rare plants, including endemic sub-species and those for which Scotland has an international responsibility.

PICTURES: IAIN HAMLIN

“Nae Plastics, Ta”: People in Fife and Edinburgh send message to international negotiators

Around the Firth of Forth, people have come together to spell out messages calling for an end to plastic pollution as Global Plastics Treaty negotiations take place in Geneva. The groups have taken this action to send a message to the UK representatives that they want them to support a strong agreement that protects people and nature.

In Dalgety Bay, Fife, locals created a distinctly Scottish message by lying down on the beach to spell out “Nae plastics, ta” in the sand. Volunteers from the Plastic-Free Scotland Communities networks in South Queensferry and Dunfermline also created messages supporting a strong treaty.

The Firth of Forth is a hotspot for plastic pollution in the form of plastic pellets which have escaped from nearby production processes. In Scotland, efforts to reduce plastic pollution have so far failed to curb its harmful impacts. Single use plastic bans have not been enforced, and efforts to increase recycling have stalled.

Globally, the massive increase in plastic production, use and disposal has created a crisis as people struggle to cope with the health and environmental impacts created. There is growing evidence that microplastics and chemicals within plastic products are harming our health. Plastics also harm marine animals and contribute to climate breakdown as nearly all plastics are made of fossil fuels.

The solution requires an international agreement to change the way plastics are used for good. The final stage of the Global Plastics Treaty is currently taking place in Geneva. These talks are seen by many involved in the UN process as the last opportunity to reach an agreement after three years of negotiations. With unresolved issues, such as whether the treaty should have binding targets to reduce plastic production, it remains unclear if governments will reach an agreement.

Similar messages of support for the treaty have been created across the world, from Malaysia to Armenia, South Korea and Canada, showing the international support for a future free from plastic pollution.

Kim Blasco from Plastic-Free Dalgety Bay said: “The communities of the Inner Forth are confronted with plastic pollution on a daily basis, whether it be the nurdles blighting our beaches that have been irresponsibly allowed to escape into the environment by the nearby petrochemical facility, the sewage-related debris swilling around in our waters and carpeting our shores, or the vast numbers of single-use plastic bottles and wrappers carelessly tossed into the environment where they can remain for hundreds of years.

“Our plastic-free communities try to get as much as possible of this pollution off our beaches, but it’s a thankless task – as anyone who has ever tried to clean up the likes of nurdles and cotton bud sticks knows. It’s like trying to mop the bathroom floor when the tub is overflowing because you left the tap running – you’ll never stop mopping if you don’t turn the tap off first.

“We need the Global Plastics Treaty to turn the tap off by agreeing targets to reduce plastic production. The petrochemical industry has profited for far too long from the plastic-isation of the economy, with single-use plastics that we don’t want or need. The treaty can be an important step towards stopping this environmental and public health disaster.”

Janet Thomas, from Plastic-Free Queensferry, said: “In 2024, South Queensferry was named as the most beautiful town in Scotland. However, in common with other beaches around the Forth, we are drowning in plastic – the same tourists who enjoy our wonderful town leaving behind all types of litter.

“We need to stop the litter at source – and that’s where the Global Plastics Treaty comes in. We must end the world’s reliance on single use plastic that pollutes for hundreds of years, breaking down into microplastics and entering our food chain. The time to act is now and we call on the world’s governments to take a principled stand against the tide of plastic that is overwhelming our planet.”

Kim Pratt, senior campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland said: “People in Scotland are joining the growing chorus of voices from across the world calling for an end to harmful plastic pollution.

“The plastic crisis has been created by greedy corporations, willing to put profit before people’s health and the protection of nature and the environment. Now governments must listen to their citizens and come together to hold corporations to account.

“A strong treaty is a vital part of tipping the balance away from corporate power and towards people and nature. As well as supporting international efforts to curb plastic pollution, the Scottish Government must act now to reduce the damage done by plastic here, including standing up to big businesses and getting them to pay for the cleanup of the plastic products they sell.”

Made up of 11 communities across Scotland, the Plastics-Free Scotland Communities network is fighting back against plastic pollution from the Clyde to the Northwest Coast, the Outer Hebrides, the Moray Firth and the Firth of Forth.

Electrical waste piled outside Scottish Parliament ahead of vote on new environmental law

CAMPAIGNERS piled electrical waste outside the Scottish Parliament ahead of today’s final debate on a new Circular Economy law. They say MSPs need to do more to improve the way electrical waste is managed and are calling for changes in the final version of the law.

The circular economy bill is being debated and voted on in the Scottish Parliament this week (Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 June). This is the last chance for MSPs to improve the bill.

The new law should bring in policies to create a circular economy in Scotland where materials are used sustainably and fairly. However, it’s been criticised for its lack of ambition and focus on disposal rather than reduction and reuse of products, which can lead to greater social and environmental benefits.

Friends of the Earth Scotland are campaigning for the circular economy bill to include a plan for the materials required in the transition away from fossil fuels, many of which are used in consumer electronics too.

Every mobile phone and laptop is powered by precious materials such as lithium, cobalt and copper. Inadequate waste management systems means that these materials are often thrown away rather than being reused or recycled. Less than 1% of lithium is recycled, despite it being required for electric vehicles.

Many of these materials come from mines in the Global South, including Chile, the Philippines and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which exploit local communities, create pollution and increase carbon emissions.

The steel used in Scottish wind turbines is likely to include significant amounts of iron ore from Brazil, where there have been two major tailing dam disasters in the last decade. A 2019 disaster in Minas Gerais killed at least 244 people.

Scotland does not have a plan for how to manage these transition minerals. The Scottish Government’s draft Energy Strategy includes plans for electrifying vehicles but fails to consider where the lithium needed to do this will come from.

Kim Pratt, Circular Economy Campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland said: “The scale of electronic waste in this country is shocking. All of the waste that we’ve gathered today came from simply asking around – most of us have something sitting in a cupboard because we don’t know what to do with it.

“Electrical waste contains precious material which is lost when these items are thrown away. Scotland can’t afford to keep treating electrical products, and the precious materials they contain, as disposable.

“Reducing our consumption of the materials used to create these products, by increasing reuse and repair, is essential to reduce the harm being done to people and the environment. The new circular economy law also needs to include a plan for these minerals, which are required for our transition away from fossil fuels. If the law does this, it has the potential to have a big impact in creating a fairer and more sustainable future.”

Key facts about e-waste:

– In the UK, the average person generates 24kg of e-waste every year, that’s the second highest in the world, behind only Norway. The UK is on course to overtake Norway and become the world’s largest contributor to e-waste this year (2024). The global average is 7.3kg.
– Globally, e-waste has increased 21% in 5 years to over 50 million tonnes. The total value of the raw material dumped annually is estimated to be £46 billion. By 2030, it’s predicted the world will throw away nearly 75 million tonnes of e-waste.
– Only 17% of e-waste is recycled.
– There are, on average, 2 mobile phones for every person on the planet. Only 9% are recycled.
– A typical iPhone is estimated to house around 0.034g of gold, 0.34g of silver, and 0.015g of palladium. It also contains the less valuable but still significant aluminium (25g) and copper (around 15g).
– One tonne of iPhones would deliver 300 times more gold than a tonne of gold ore and 6.5 times more silver than a tonne of silver ore.

Campaigners call for end to incineration excess

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)

Full letter to the Scottish Government:

https://scot.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5ad0d61b2a67d22c68bf7d8d&id=577a4fa164&e=195fc3d780

Fossil fuel lobbyists pushing hydrogen on politicians

Climate campaigners have revealed the huge lobbying operation by fossil fuel interests pushing expensive and inefficient hydrogen technology onto Scottish Government and MSPs.

Campaigners unearthed over 30 meetings with oil and gas companies where hydrogen was discussed, along with an additional 70 meetings with companies who stood to benefit from the roll out of hydrogen technology in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has pledged over £100 million to this industry and has refused to rule out using hydrogen from fossil fuels. Ministers even refer to fossil fuel derived hydrogen as ‘low carbon’ despite the methane leakage during gas production and the extra energy required to run the partial carbon capture process upon which it relies.

The revelations show a huge push by fossil fuel giants like BP and Shell – who met MSPs 17 and 9 times respectively – demonstrating how hard the industry is pressing politicians to claim hydrogen as a climate solution despite mounting evidence that the technology is too expensive and inefficient.

Evidence shows that using hydrogen for heating our homes is more expensive and less efficient than direct electrification through technologies like heat pumps. Hydrogen is not suitable for most transport needs due to cost and how far the technology is behind electrification.

KEY LOBBYING INCIDENTS

On the same day (10/11/21) during COP26 as the Scottish Government published their draft Hydrogen Action Plan it organised a lavish dinner for the Hydrogen industry with 52 company lobbyists at Edinburgh Castle that FOIs reveal cost the public purse £11,000. It was attended by BP, INEOS, Shell, Wood Group and Offshore Energies UK. It was hosted by Business Minister Ivan McKee and attended by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Then Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero Michael Matheson travelled to Rotterdam in May 2022 to speak at the World Hydrogen Summit which marketed itself as ‘the global platform where hydrogen deals get done.’

The two day conference had host partners BP and Shell and “diamond sponsorship” from Saudi oil company Aramco and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.

Shell met with then Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse in January 2021, where the official record states Shell specifically ’emphasized the importance of both blue and green hydrogen.’

Friends of the Earth Scotland climate campaigner Alex Lee commented: “Hydrogen lobbyists have made a targeted push trying to persuade the Scottish Government to ignore the mounting evidence about the technology’s inefficiency and huge costs.

“By incorrectly classifying hydrogen from fossil fuels as ‘low carbon’, Scottish Ministers are doing the greenwashing job for fossil fuel companies. Big polluters like Shell and BP are selling hydrogen hard because it allows them to keep on drilling for fossil fuels and keep the public locked into an energy system using oil and gas for decades to come.

“The Scottish Government has been taken in by the marketing hype around hydrogen, promising over £100 million of public money to the industry and repeating outlandish jobs creation claims.

“Ministers must end their support for hydrogen from fossil fuels and instead use renewable power directly in heating and transport rather than wasting time and energy by converting it to hydrogen first.

“If the Scottish Government want to tackle the climate crisis and deliver a just transition away from oil and gas, it must cut ties with the fossil fuel industry and ban them from lobbying.”

OIL: ‘It’s Time to Walk the Walk’

CLIMATE GROUPS CALL ON SCOT GOVT TO SURPASS UK LABOUR PHASE OUT PLANS

Climate campaigners have written to the First Minister Yousaf to call on the Scottish Government to ‘not only match but go further’ than the commitment of UK Labour to block future oil and gas development. It says the transition away from fossil fuels is an opportunity for the “political leadership that is needed to build a fairer and more equal Scotland.”

The letter comes ahead of Scottish Parliament debate (7/6/23) on fossil fuels and urges the Scottish Government to prioritise planning and action that delivers a just transition away from fossil fuels for workers and communities currently employed by this industry.

The letter, signed by 5 coalitions and 34 climate, fuel poverty and international justice groups from RSPB to Christian Aid to Extinction Rebellion Scotland, states how countless credible institutions are clear about the incompatibility of new oil and gas fields with a safe climate future.

The call comes amidst concerns that Humza Yousaf’s Government is going backwards on oil and gas after statements about future North Sea activity from Cabinet Secretary Màiri McAllan and criticism of the Labour position by Energy Minister Gillian Martin.

The letter also says that “workers in the oil and gas industry already have a plan for a just transition, they just need political support to make it happen” and that to ensure secure affordable energy Scottish Ministers must use their powers to “accelerate well-planned domestic renewable energy production and improve the energy efficiency of our buildings.”

The chair of the UK Climate Change Committee Lord Deben has also spoken out in support of the Labour position saying that it “should be the common view of all parties.”

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s head of campaigns Mary Church said: “Every new barrel of oil worsens the climate crisis and takes us further away from a fair and fast transition to renewable energy.

“The Scottish Government must be willing to stand up to oil companies and commit to ending oil and gas extraction as an essential part of planning for a just transition for workers and communities.

“Oil and gas workers are ready to lead a rapid and fair transition away from fossil fuels, and have a blueprint to create an energy industry that protects workers, communities and the climate.

“Ministers must set an end date for oil and gas this decade to  provide certainty for the sector, enable workforce planning and make it clear that investing in renewables is the only choice for our energy future.”

Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland highlighted how support for oil and gas expansion will “undermine Scotland’s global climate leadership” commenting: “It’s estimated that one person will die of hunger every 28 seconds across East Africa this month because of a drought that would not have happened without climate change.

“A just transition for those working in the oil and gas industry in the UK is essential, but this transition must also be much faster to avert further devastating global impacts. That starts with blocking all new oil and gas extraction. No ifs, no buts. The Scottish Government’s leadership on global climate justice will only remain credible if it strongly opposes the UK Government granting any new licences for climate-wrecking fossil fuels.”

Anne McCall, Director of RSPB Scotland, said: “The shift away from fossil fuels and toward renewables is essential if we are to tackle the intertwined nature and climate crisis. Continuing to extract and burn oil and gas makes no sense if we want to stop climate change causing chaos for ourselves and the other living creatures that human activities have already harmed.

“With robust ecological evidence informing where new renewable developments go, we must make the shift to clean energy in a nature positive way. Scotland is one of the most wildlife-depleted countries in the world, and our progress in reducing emissions has stalled, so there is no excuse for delaying the transition.”

Dylan Hamilton from youth climate group Fridays for Future commented, “”The Scottish Government has talked the talk, but it’s time to walk the walk.

“We have allowed the climate crisis to worsen and now people are already suffering all over the world. We can’t afford to take our time, it is a fact that to prevent catastrophic climate breakdown we must end oil and gas extraction. You can’t make deals with physics, and millions of lives and the future are on the line.”

Edinburgh University students vote against motion to introduce plant-based menus in EUSA venues

  • On 03/04/23, Edinburgh University students have voted against a motion calling for Student Association venues to go plant-based by 2027.
  • This vote was put forth by the student-led Plant-Based University of Edinburgh campaign, and aimed to take decisive action against climate change through a just and sustainable transition to plant-based catering. The PBU campaign was not only pushing for locally sourced ingredients where possible and carbon footprint calculations on food, but also an increased choice for those with dietary requirements.
  • Nonetheless, this motion received push-back from the hunting lobby group Countryside Alliance, who asked  in an article in The Times, “How can an avocado flown in from South America have eco superiority over a piece of grass-fed beef from a local farm?” [2]
  • This conflicts with research evidencing that food type is a much more significant than transport in climate footprint calculations, a key recommendation of such research being to reduce meat and dairy.

Emily Kemp, 19, a member of the campaign says: “This is a setback in our strive for climate justice, but not one we will allow to stop us.

“Going  plant-based is a step that must be taken; it is only a shame that it will not happen sooner,” 

Another campaigner added: “If Edinburgh’s students are so far  unconvinced that animal agriculture is wrecking our planet and would rather take the words of those with a vested interest in concealing the truth, then we will continue to work to  change that.”

The latest IPCC report has highlighted the need for efficient use of land to tackle the climate and ecological crisis. This would prevent deforestation and allow rewilding to occur, drawing down vast amounts of carbon from the Earth’s atmosphere. According to a 2019 Harvard study, animal farming is the single biggest land user in the UK. The same study stated that better use of this land could make the UK carbon-negative.

The proposed motion was an effort to make progress on EUSA’s Sustainability and Action Plan, and was also intended to provide more inclusive and affordable options for all students amid the ongoing cost of living crisis. The campaigners express how the conversation Edinburgh’s campaign has sparked is a success in itself.

Among the numerous passed motions for plant-based campuses, including those at Stirling, Cambridge, Queen Mary’s, and Birmingham, Edinburgh’s campaign demonstrates how this conversation about animal agriculture and the climate crisis is still considered radical. The science promoting a plant-based food system is compelling, and our institutions need to follow suit, the student-led campaign advocates. 

The Plant-Based Universities campaign is a nationwide initiative of students who are pushing for their universities and student unions to adopt 100% plant-based catering.

The group claims that universities have an obligation to follow the scientific research that they produce, detailing the environmental impacts of animal farming and fishing. The campaign is active in over 40 institutions, with the group encouraging interested students to sign up to run local campaigns.

The Plant-Based Universities campaign is supported by the well-known animal and climate justice group Animal Rebellion.

Community groups launch ‘Let’s go for 1 in 5’ campaign to cut car use by 20% across Scotland

Scottish members of a grassroots ‘community rail’ movement are joining forces to support a shift to greener, healthier, fairer transport, and encouraging people to ditch the car for one in five journeys when they can.

The country’s network of community rail partnerships, supported by Community Rail Network and Paths for All, used the 2023 Rail Scotland Conference to launch their ‘Let’s go for 1 in 5’ campaign, in support of Transport Scotland’s commitment to cutting car use by 20% by 2030. They used the conference to explore how the rail industry can play a key role, working with communities, to support more sustainable journeys that work for everyone and protect our climate.

From the Borders to the Highlands, Scotland’s community rail partnerships engage communities with their local railways and stations, enabling and encouraging more people to get around sustainably by train. Since the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow, they have been raising awareness of how green rail is compared to driving (see statistics below), and working with communities and rail partners to make it easier to use the train combined with walking, wheeling and cycling, buses and community transport.

Transport is the largest contributor to climate emissions in Scotland. In response to the climate emergency, Transport Scotland has committed to reducing emissions by 75% by 2030, and net-zero by 2045. Rail accounted for just 1% of UK domestic transport emissions in 2019, despite representing 7% of the total distance travelled, and for a 30-mile journey, travelling by train instead of by car can reduce emissions by up to 86%.

Community Rail Network chief executive Jools Townsend told the conference how community rail, and the new campaign, contributes to Scotland’s vision of a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system. This allied to some of the major themes of the event – which also featured an address from Minister for Transport Jenny Gilruth MSP – such as modal shift from road to rail and the rail network’s net-zero targets.

Ms Townsend said: “Cutting car use by 20% is crucial to tackling the climate emergency, and it can unleash great benefits for communities and families too, by improving health and wellbeing, addressing the cost of living, and making our streets and communities safer, nicer places.

“But we know it’s not so simple as ‘persuading’ people to ditch the car: as well as raising awareness we need to break down barriers and widen access to public and community transport, combined with walking, wheeling and cycling.

“Community rail and other locally-led initiatives have a vital part to play. We’re all about helping communities to feel confident and positive about rail and sustainable travel, addressing issues and worries people might have, and helping communities to have a voice and shape a green and inclusive transport future.

“We’re encouraging communities across Scotland to get involved, and for drivers to consider how they can help Scotland make the ‘1 in 5’ switch, to more climate-safe and community-friendly journeys.”

Community rail works across Britain to develop the place of railways and stations at the heart of local communities, and help communities get maximum benefit from rail. This growing, thriving grassroots movement, brought together under Community Rail Network, is made up of 76 community rail partnerships and 1,200+ station friends’ groups and other local groups.

Scotland’s eight community rail partnerships, who will lead on activities linked to the ‘Let’s go for 1 in 5’ campaign are: Borders Railway Community Partnership; South West Scotland CRP; East Lothian CRP; Strathallan CRP; Highland Main Line CRP; Rail 74 CRP; 6VT Youth CRP and West Highland CRP.

The partnerships are supported by Community Rail Network and the Smarter Choices, Smarter Places programme, funded by Transport Scotland and administered by Paths for All. This support helps to develop projects and deliver work promoting sustainable journeys with rail at their heart.

Graham McQueen, Smarter Choices, Smarter Places manager, said:“Paths for All’s Smarter Choices Smarter Places Open Fund is about supporting local and community-based transport solutions to the climate crisis.

“We want to see more people walking, cycling and using more sustainable forms of transport for their everyday journeys.  Projects like this that encourage people to get out of their cars and travel more sustainably are fantastic examples of how grassroots community organisations can lead on the changes we need to make happen”.

UN body backs campaigners’ calls to review unfair planning appeal rights in Scotland

A top UN body has backed calls from environmental and community campaigners to review planning appeal rights across Scotland. This intervention follows repeated calls for equal rights of appeal which have been ignored by the Scottish Government.

In August 2022, the Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland, Planning Democracy, Friends of the Earth Scotland and RSPB Scotland submitted a formal complaint to the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee (ACCC), a UN body tasked with upholding environmental rights. The complaint has now been accepted by the committee, and they have now written to the government who must respond by 21 July 2023.

The complaint sets out why planning appeal rights in Scotland are not ‘fair’ and therefore in breach of the Aarhus Convention’s access to justice requirements. It points to a ruling by the ACCC in Northern Ireland concluding that a lack of equal rights was in breach of the Convention. Campaigners believe that the same applies to Scotland.

Currently, only applicants (usually developers) enjoy statutory appeal rights if their planning permission is refused. Members of the public do not enjoy equivalent rights to appeal if a development is approved, even if the development will negatively impact their health and environment, or if the decision-making process was flawed. The only option available to affected communities is to go to court via a judicial review in the Court of Session, which the Convention’s governing bodies have already ruled as ‘prohibitively expensive’.

The complaint to the UN follows over a decade of civil society campaigning and the passage of two planning bills, neither of which addressed the issue. An amendment proposing to add equal rights of appeal to the 2019 Planning (Scotland) Act was voted down by Conservative and SNP MSPs.

Campaigners are now calling for legislative reforms to finally achieve equal rights for communities.

Benji Brown, Policy & Advocacy Officer at the Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland, said: ‘Under Scotland’s rigged planning system, developers have the upper hand. They can request a full merits review on decisions they dislike, while members of the public do not have the same appeal rights.

“If people want to speak out in defence of their environment or their community, their only option is to go to court – an action that is unaffordable for most. This situation is blatantly unfair, and in violation of the Aarhus Convention.

“The UK government’s cynical attempt to stall our complaint has failed, and we welcome the Committee’s recognition that the issue must be urgently investigated. There can be no more delays – it’s time for Scotland to deliver equal rights for all.’

Clare Symonds, Chair of Planning Democracy, said: ‘Planning Democracy have campaigned for years for an equal right of appeal, and we are pleased that the Compliance Committee has agreed to take our case further.

“The lack of equal rights of appeal is a cause of much anger and frustration for communities, who experience discrimination in planning decisions. For years, the system has been blatantly unfair – it really is time for Scotland to resolve this longstanding injustice.’

Mary Church, Head of Campaigns at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “It’s an absolute scandal that communities and NGOs can’t appeal against developments that harm the environment, while developers can wage a war of attrition through appeals and repeat applications if their proposal gets knocked back.

“This lack of equal rights undermines the planning system and leads to decisions that are bad for people and planet. The Scottish Government shouldn’t wait for the UN to rap its knuckles again, but should take action to level the playing field as part of its agenda to enshrine human rights in Scots Law.”

Aedan Smith, Head of Policy and Advocacy at RSPB Scotland, said: “Planning appeal rights in Scotland are archaic and wholly unfit for purpose given the imperative need to tackle the nature and climate emergency.

“Scotland’s appeal rights date back to a time when landowners could do almost anything they wanted with their land, no matter the impact on neighbours, communities or the environment. 

“It is essential this outdated and fundamentally unfair system is reviewed to ensure that individuals, environmental organisations and communities at least have a comparable right to developers and can access a mechanism to have the most harmful decisions reconsidered.”

Campaigners say Deposit Return Scheme must start without delay

DEPOSIT RETURN SCHEME: INDUSTRY AND UK GOVERNMENT MUST SUPPORT SCOTLAND’S ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS

Environmental campaigners have said that Scotland’s deposit return scheme should be delivered without any more unnecessary delay.

After 5 years of planning, Scotland’s deposit return scheme is due to launch on 16 August 2023. With the UK Government recently announcing its plans for DRS in England and Wales and calls for more clarity from the industry led scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland, there have been calls to delay Scottish plans.

The deposit return scheme will work by people paying a 20p deposit when they buy a drink in a single-use container made of plastic, metal or glass. When the containers are returned, this provides a guaranteed source of high-quality materials for recycling.

The scheme also makes sure producers take full financial and environmental responsibility for the proper collection of their packaging. The Scottish Government has engaged with businesses of all sizes and addressed many of their concerns throughout the development of the scheme.

Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland said: “Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme must start on time in August 2023.

“Businesses in Scotland have had five years to prepare for DRS and many of them will already be familiar with how these schemes operate in other countries. It’s time for Circularity Scotland, the industry-led scheme administrator, to deliver the planned DRS to the people of Scotland without delay.

“While it is encouraging that the UK Government has committed to its own scheme, it should not be seeking to slow down environmental progress in the devolved nations. Politicians should be seizing this opportunity to take urgent action to combat waste and move to a more circular economy.

“Suggestions that DRS will cost consumers are irresponsible – like existing deposit return schemes in other countries, it will be simple for customers to claim their 20p deposit back from any shop participating in the scheme.”

Dr Kat Jones, Director of APRS, which has been running the Have You Got The Bottle? campaign since 2014, said: “We have seen the support among the Scottish public for deposit return since the outset of the campaign.

“This scheme works well in other countries where it has reduced the litter we see in our towns and countryside, cut carbon emissions, and resulted in savings for local authorities. However, the scheme has been delayed twice in response to industry foot dragging.

“We are all trying to do our bit to reduce waste, but the onus should be on the large companies creating the issue. Deposit return schemes work to shift responsibility for waste back to the companies creating it and away from the environment and society. We need industry to work with the Scottish Government in order to create a scheme that works for businesses, communities, and the environment.”

Catherine Gemmell, Scotland Conservation Officer for the Marine Conservation Society said: “Scotland’s seas cannot, and should not, be paying the price for our waste.

“Marine Conservation Society volunteers have been picking up cans and bottles for decades on beaches, but we need to put a stop to them getting there in the first place. During last year’s Great British Beach Clean, 93% of Scottish beaches surveyed found drinks-related litter.

“We know Deposit Return Schemes have huge potential to turn the tide on this kind of pollution. Circularity Scotland need to implement the Scheme in August, for the benefit of both people and planet.”

THERE ARE ONGOING CONCERNS, HOWEVER …