Tag: decline

80% of butterflies in the UK decrease as climate change affects species

The State of the UK’s Butterflies 2022 report, released today by wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation, has revealed the alarming news that 80% of butterflies in the UK have declined since the 1970s.

Decreases in butterfly populations on this scale are a huge cause for concern as butterflies are an integral part of the UK ecosystem and their precipitous decline is a clear warning signal of the wider biodiversity crisis.

In Scotland, butterfly species that require specialist habitats have greatly declined. But the figures show increases too, as many countryside-wide species have increased in Scotland. While this increase bucks the trend elsewhere in the UK, it’s a clear indicator of climate change.

  • While habitat specialists in Scotland have declined in abundance by 27%,  wider countryside species have increased by 26%.
  • Half of all Britain’s remaining butterfly species are now listed as at risk of extinction on the British Red List.*
  • However, the report also provides evidence that targeted conservation action can turn around the fortunes of threatened butterfly species.

Scientists at Butterfly Conservation are today warning that time is running out for UK’s butterflies as long-term trends show that most butterfly species have declined in either abundance, distribution, or both in the past five decades. The news follows the release of the new Red List of British Butterflies last May, which showed half of all the remaining species in Britain are now classed as threatened or near threatened.

Habitat loss across the UK has led to dramatic declines in those species that require flower-rich grassland, heathland, and woodland clearings to thrive. These specialist species have, on average, decreased by more than a quarter (27% decrease) in abundance and lost over two-thirds (68% decrease) of their distribution since 1976.

Butterfly species that can breed in the farmed countryside and urban areas have fared less badly, but as a group they have still declined by 17% in abundance and 8% in distribution.

However, despite the gloomy picture painted by the long-term trends, the report points to numerous examples proving that targeted conservation action can turn around the fortunes of threatened butterflies at site, landscape, and national levels.

In Scotland this includes conservation action for priority species such as Northern Brown Argus and Pearl-bordered Fritillary. But, while managed sites such as Mabie Forest in Dumfries and Galloway are showing increases in numbers, colonies are disappearing elsewhere in the landscape. This shows that conservation efforts and partnership working towards better land management in Scotland are important to our natural environment now, more than ever.

Alongside this, climate change appears to be a large factor in the increased abundance of some species in Scotland. For example, White-letter Hairstreak and Holly Blue have spread north from England and become established in Scotland, while other species, such as Ringlet, Peacock and Comma, have greatly extended their ranges in the country.

Tom Prescott Butterfly Conservation’s Senior Conservation Officer for Scotland said: “Scotland is the only UK country for which the all-species butterfly indicators show long-term increases in abundance and distribution.

“However, this hides the true picture, which is that those species requiring specialist habitat are in significant decline while those that live in the wider countryside are increasing as a result of climate change allowing them to increase their range.

“Thanks to tens of thousands of people who contribute sightings through projects such as the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme and Big Butterfly Count, we have amazing data to plot the changing fortunes of our butterflies.

“We use this to inform our conservation work and the work we have been doing to increase numbers of Pearl-bordered Fritillary at Mabie Forest Reserve in partnership with Forestry and Land Scotland is evidence that where conservation action has been carefully targeted and sustained in the long-term it has had real impact.”

Julie Williams, CEO of Butterfly Conservation, said: “This report is yet more compelling evidence of nature’s decline in the UK. We are totally dependent on the natural world for food, water and clean air.

“The state of our species and habitats shows that the natural world is in trouble. We need swift and effective action on this. The decline in butterflies we have seen in our own lifetimes is shocking and we can no longer stand by and watch the UK’s biodiversity be destroyed.”

The State of the UK’s Butterflies 2022 has been produced by Butterfly Conservation working together with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and British Trust for Ornithology. The report is based on nearly 23 million butterfly records, almost all of which were contributed by volunteer citizen scientists, that assesses the UK’s 59 species of breeding butterflies.

The full report can be found HERE

*More information on the latest Red List assessment of butterflies can be found here https://butterfly-conservation.org/news-and-blog/half-of-british-butterfly-species-on-new-red-list

MSPs call for action to halt decline of our town centres

MSPs on the Economy and Fair Work Committee have called for action to halt the long-standing decline of town centres, as it publishes a new report following an inquiry into the issue.

The Committee’s inquiry concluded that the planning system needs to be strengthened to ensure no new developments unfairly compete with town centre provision. Alongside this, a rebalancing of the cost of doing business to make town centres more competitive including how non-domestic rates currently operate, to support investment in town centres.

Every town in Scotland should have their own Town Plan, a long-term strategic vision for the future that recognises the unique nature of our towns, their histories and the community that brings them together. It should be driven locally by communities and not imposed from the top down. Transparency of ownership and powers to tackle derelict or dangerous buildings also need further action.

Claire Baker MSP, Convener of the Economy and Fair Work Committee said: “This report should signal a line in the sand for how we support, develop and prioritise investment in our town centres. We all know a town centre that has empty shops, a lack of investment and few thriving businesses.

“Throughout this inquiry we heard that although the pandemic accelerated trends towards online shopping, people really care about the future of their town centre and what is on their doorstep. The positive benefits that a thriving town centre can bring are clear – not just economically but socially and culturally as well.

“As we move into a challenging period of our retail sector, our Committee is unified in its call that vibrant, thriving town centres must be prioritised. This report recognises that the only way to do that is through changing how we support these developments through various measures from planning to non-domestic business rates.

“This report signals that change is needed. We know there is no quick fix but unless we start now, then we won’t be able to halt the accelerated decline of recent years we’ve seen already in too many communities across Scotland.”

Specific measures include:

  • Strengthening the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) to ensure that any proposed developments can demonstrate that town centre sites have been pursued and thoroughly evaluated and that developments will have no adverse impact on town centres and will not compete with town centre provision.
  • The overarching principle must be rebalancing the cost of doing business in town centres versus out-of-town sites. Approaches that could be considered include giving Councils the power to levy an out-of-town development premium or a business rates surcharge which could then be used for town centre regeneration.
  • The current non-domestic rates (NDR) system acts as a disincentive when trying to attract businesses back to our town centres. For businesses already located in town centres, the current NDR system acts as a disincentive to invest in already occupied property, as any investment leads to an increase in NDR. The Committee consistently heard that the current system works against investment and growth in town centre retail and that the NDR system should be rebalanced to support town centre development.
  • There is strong demand amongst Scotland’s smaller retailers for more and better support to build their online presence and to be able to take advantage of platforms that already exist. A broader range of opportunities must be made available to upskill, strengthen and future-proof our retail workforce.
  • Transparency of beneficial ownership of town centre property and land and absentee owners can still be a problem, particularly where an individual lives or is based overseas. It is the Committee’s strong view that all property and landowners should be contactable and there should be clarity on who the owner is. The Scottish Government has said its focus is on Compulsory Purchase Orders. The Committee is of the view that the Scottish Government’s actions may be insufficient and that more may need to be to address this problem.
  • Local authorities have a range of powers available to them to tackle derelict or dangerous buildings but they are not used as frequently or proactively as we would like. There can be a reluctance to resort to those statutory powers, in part due to a lack of resources to carry actions through. The Committee welcomes the Scottish Government’s commitment to reform and modernise the compulsory purchase orders.
  • The Committee recognises the value of, and increased demand for, online and e-commerce activities and the importance of increasing the use of technology as a driver of increased productivity. A strategically driven action plan should be developed by the Scottish Government to support the take-up of training and capacity building to support Scotland’s eCommerce activity.
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Royal Bank of Scotland: October report on jobs

Renewed downturn in permanent placements during October

  • Permanent placements fall amid growing economic uncertainty
  • Temp billings decline for first time in 26 months
  • Pay pressures soften, but remain strong overall

Hiring activity across Scotland fell into decline during October, with both permanent staff appointments and temporary billings contracting, according to the latest Royal Bank of Scotland Report on Jobs survey.

Permanent placements have now fallen in two of the past three months, while the downturn in temp billings was the first seen since August 2020. Moreover, the rates of contraction were strong overall amid reports of growing economic uncertainty, softening demand conditions and the deepening cost of living crisis.

October data also revealed further increases in starting salaries and temp wages. However, rates of inflation continued to ease, signalling a mild waning of pressure on pay.

Permanent staff placements fall solidly

October data highlighted a fall in permanent staff placements across Scotland. After a month of growth in September, the respective seasonally adjusted index reverted below the neutral 50.0 threshold to signal the second reduction in three months.

The rate of contraction was the fastest seen in nearly two years and solid, with recruiters often linking the fall to growing economic uncertainty and the cost of living crisis.

At the UK level, a fall in permanent staff hires was also noted, with the rate of decline similar to that seen in Scotland.

Scottish recruitment consultancies signalled a reduction in temp billings during October, thereby ending a 25-month run of expansion. The rate of contraction was the quickest seen since July 2020 during the initial wave of the pandemic and strong overall. According to panellists, the latest fall was driven by reduced activity at clients. 

Across the UK as a whole, temp billings were broadly stagnant after rising in each of the prior 26 months.

Downturn in permanent staff supply fastest in three months

Recruiters across Scotland noted a twenty-first successive monthly fall in permanent candidate availability during October. The pace of decline quickened on the month and was marked overall. Panellists generally linked the latest downturn to skill shortages and increased hesitancy to seek out new roles due to rising economic uncertainty.

The pace of reduction across Scotland was more rapid than that recorded for the UK as a whole.

The supply of temp labour across Scotland fell again during October. Despite being severe overall, the rate of decline was the second-slowest in seven months (after September). Recruiters highlighted a lack of European workers and ongoing skill shortages as factors constraining supply.

As has been the case for the last seven months, the rate of contraction in temp staff availability in Scotland was sharper than that seen at the UK level.

Starting salary inflation softens further in October

Latest survey data indicated that average starting salaries for permanent staff in Scotland increased at the slowest pace since June 2021 during October. That said, the pace of wage inflation remained elevated in comparison to the historical average. According to anecdotal evidence, skill and candidate shortages continued to drive up rates of pay.

Data for the UK as a whole also signalled a softer rise in starting salaries during October. Moreover, the pace of inflation was softer than that seen for Scotland for the first time in four months.

As has been the case for the past 23 months, temp wages rose across Scotland during October. While the respective seasonally adjusted index hit an 18-month low, it signalled a sharp rise overall. Greater competition for scarce candidates was cited as a key driver of the latest increase in temp pay.

At the national level, wages also increased at a much slower rate during October. However, the rate of inflation was quicker than that registered in Scotland.

Demand for permanent staff expands at slowest pace in 20 months

Demand for permanent staff grew sharply during October, thereby extending the current period of expansion to 21 months. However, the respective seasonally adjusted index fell for the sixth month running, with the latest reading edging down to a 20-month low.

Across the monitored job categories, IT & Computing registered the steepest rate of expansion, followed by Nursing/Medical/Care.

Recruiters across Scotland noted a twenty-fifth successive monthly rise in temp staff demand during October. While the rate of growth was the weakest since February 2021, it was quicker than that seen across the UK as a whole.

At the sector level, IT & Computing saw the quickest growth in short-term vacancies, followed by Accounts & Financial.

Sebastian Burnside, Chief Economist at Royal Bank of Scotland, commented: “Labour market conditions across Scotland deteriorated in October, as for the first time since August 2020, both permanent placements and temporary billings contracted.

“At the same time, rates of vacancy growth for both permanent and short-term staff continued to ease. Candidate and skill shortages meanwhile stretched the supply of labour thin, with recruiters also noting that increased economic uncertainty had impacted candidate numbers. Though it does seem that market imbalances are becoming less pronounced, the effect on pay remains strong.

“The data therefore suggest that growing uncertainty about the economy and the cost of living crisis are already affecting the labour market, and could weigh further on hiring decisions for the remainder of the final quarter of 2022.”

Business activity falls for second month running amid sharper falls in new work

  • Accelerated contraction in new work
  • Sentiment weakens further in September
  • Inflation remains elevated, but softens

Business activity across Scotland’s private sector contracted again in September, according to the latest Royal Bank of Scotland PMI® data. The seasonally adjusted headline Royal Bank of Scotland Business Activity Index – a measure of combined manufacturing and service sector output – was little-changed from 47.8 in August at 48.0, signalling a second consecutive month of contraction.

Despite easing, a high inflationary environment drove the latest decline in business activity and new orders, with the rate of contraction for the latter gaining momentum.

The challenging conditions meant that the degree of confidence further weakened during September. The latest reading registered a 28-month low, suggesting subdued performance as we progress into the final quarter of the year.

New business received at Scottish private sector companies contracted for the third month running during September. The rate of reduction quickened on the month and was solid overall. Inflationary pressures and the cost-of-living crisis were primarily linked to the latest downturn. 

At the sectoral level, manufacturing firms reported the softest decline in factory orders in three months, while services providers reported their first contraction since March 2021.

Amid soaring prices and recession fears, overall activity expectations weakened for the second consecutive month in Scotland’s private sector in September. Business confidence hit a 28-month low, posting below the average recorded over the series history and much weaker than the UK-wide average.

As has been the case since April 2021, employment across Scotland’s private sector increased in September. According to anecdotal evidence, successful hiring was in part linked to fresh graduates entering the workforce. While the respective seasonally adjusted index improved marginally from the that seen in August, it was the second-lowest reading in 17 months.

The pace of employment growth in Scotland was softer than the UK average.

September data revealed a reduction in backlogs of work for the fourth consecutive month at private sector companies in Scotland. The rate of depletion quickened to the fastest in 20 months. Respondents frequently mentioned the fall in backlogs reflected fewer new orders.

The rate of reduction at Scottish private sector companies was quicker than the UK-wide average which, in contrast to Scotland, softened during September.

For the twenty-eighth month running, average cost burdens rose across private sector firms in Scotland during September. The rise was largely blamed on inflationary pressures in labour market and supply chains. Despite the rate of input price inflation remaining historically high, the latest incline was the softest since August 2021 with both sectors noting slower rates of inflation.

Moreover, the pace of inflation in Scotland lagged behind that seen at the UK level, posting the second-softest of the 12 monitored regions ahead of the South West of England.

Scotland’s private sector firms raised their charges during September, thereby stretching the current run of output price inflation to 23 months. According to panellists, prices were raised primarily to offset increasing costs. That said, the rate of output price inflation was the weakest in 13 months and the softest of the 12 monitored UK regions.

Source: Royal Bank of Scotland, S&P Global.

Judith Cruickshank, Chair, Scotland Board, Royal Bank of Scotland, commented: “Business activity and new orders continued to decrease across the Scottish private sector during September, thereby stretching the current runs of contraction to two and three months respectively.

“The squeeze on customer disposable incomes amid a high inflation environment underpinned the latest downturn in output and new business.

“Despite falling business requirements, firms raised employment for the eighteenth successive month, albeit at a moderate pace. The combination of a drop in new work and expanding workforces allowed firms to work through their backlogs.  

“The post-pandemic boom is clearly at an end, as the ongoing cost-of-living crisis plays an increasingly important role. Moreover, the 12-month outlook continues to weaken.”