Targets and accountability needed for Scotland's Biodiversity Strategy

In a letter to Lorna Slater MSP, Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, the Committee also says that the Natural Environment Bill must provide legal back-up for commitments made in the strategy, including legal mechanisms to address delivery failures. The letter also calls on the Scottish Government to take concrete action to mainstream biodiversity across all departments to maximise its delivery.

Read the letter

The Committee even goes so far as to call for the strategy to be renamed ‘Scotland’s Nature Emergency Strategy’ - to better reflect both the scale of the crisis and the emergency response required.

The letter was drafted following an evidence session held by the Committee on 6 September 2022 at which experts in the field of nature conservation, protection and restoration, gave compelling evidence in relation to their concerns around the current draft.

Edward Mountain MSP, Convener of the Committee said;

“A new Strategy presents an opportunity for a fresh start, building on past successes but also learning from past failures, and we hope it succeeds. But stakeholders were very clear that past efforts to address habitat and biodiversity loss in Scotland have been patchy at best.

“If Scotland really is serious about curbing the losses in critical habitat and biodiversity that it continues to suffer, then more must be done. It’s very clear to us that specific targets, robust delivery plans and strict accountability measures are essential components of an emergency strategy set for success.”

Additional recommendations made by the Committee in the letter include;

• targets that are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound).
• more detail on governance, monitoring and evaluation, and how this will lead to refinement and improvement
• a clear commitment to learn from best practice across the UK and internationally
• set out clearly how the strategy will ensure it follows EU law and best practice on biodiversity.
• detail of how costs will be met and how the Scottish Government proposes to create a positive environment that will give potential investors confidence.
• detail of how the Scottish Government intends to incorporate commitments made by Parties at COP15 into the strategy.