In June 2022, the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee agreed to scrutinise biodiversity policy and proposals for the Scottish Government's new national biodiversity strategy.
The strategy is the first substantive update of Scotland's biodiversity policy since 2013. It is intended to be the starting point of a process which will lead to the development of rolling delivery plans and, through the introduction of a Natural Environment Bill, statutory nature restoration targets.
In December 2022 Governments and stakeholders gathered in Montreal, Canada, for the 15th UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15). At this summit, a new global framework was agreed for tackling the nature emergency. The Scottish Government formed part of the UK’s official delegation at COP15, at which it published a revised draft of its Biodiversity Strategy and said it will further refine the strategy to embed new targets agreed.
As part of its scrutiny of biodiversity policy in Scotland, the Committee agreed to examine the outcomes of COP15 and how they relate to the Scottish context. The Committee has gathered evidence on this issue by hearing from a panel of Scottish and UK-based experts on biodiversity policy and holding an evidence session with the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity.
In September 2023, the Scottish Government published for consultation a draft Delivery Plan to set out actions behind the high-level policy intentions set out in the Strategy. The Committee decided to take evidence on the draft Plan, recognising the importance of having an effective plan to deliver the Strategy.
Tackling the Nature Emergency - strategic framework for biodiversity: consultation
The Committee held two evidence sessions on the draft Plan: one with experts in marine biodiversity on 12 December 2023, and one with experts on terrestrial biodiversity on 6 January 2024.
The Committee wrote to the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity to set out its findings to help inform the Scottish Government’s thinking before it finalises the Delivery Plan.
Read the Convener's letter to the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, 29 September 2022 (252KB, pdf) posted 29 September 2022
Read the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity's response to the Convener, 1 November 2022 (352KB, pdf) posted 04 November 2022
The inquiry was discussed at the following Committee meetings:
The Committee has sent and received the following correspondence during the inquiry:
Letter from the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, 16 April 2024
Letter from the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, 28 March 2024
Letter to the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, 8 February 2024
Submission from Dr Caroline Brown, RTPI Scotland, 16 January 2024
Submission from Kirstanne Land, SSEN Transmission, 12 January 2024
Submission from Nora Casey, RSPB Scotland, 10 January 2024
Submission from Jack Beadle, RSPB Scotland, 5 January 2024
Supplementary evidence from Heather McFarlane, Fidra, 4 January 2024
Submission from Roddie Macpherson, 2 January 2024
Submission from Donna Smith, Scottish Crofting Federation, 2 January 2024
Supplementary evidence from Calum Duncan, Marine Conservation Society, 22 December 2023
Submission from Nathan Bryceland, Scottish Land and Estates, 22 December 2023
Submission from Simon Ritchie, Woodland Trust Scotland, 22 December 2023
Submission from Sarah Cowie, National Farmers Union (NFU) Scotland, 19 December 2023
Submission from Daniel Paris, Scottish Environment LINK, 19 December 2023
Submission from Allan Young, Public Affairs Manager, Open Seas, 7 December 2023
Submission from Alan Munro, Coastal Communities Network Scotland, 5 December 2023
Submission from Dr Clare Cavers, Senior Projects Manager, Fidra, 5 December 2023
Submission from Candice Hale, Operations Manager, Salmon Scotland, 5 December 2023
Submission from Elspeth Macdonald, Chief Executive, Scottish Fishermen's Federation, 3 December 2023
Letter from the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, 7 September 2023
Letter to the Convener, Rural Affairs and Islands Committee, 29 March 2023
Letter from the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity to the Convener, 27 March 2023
Letter from the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity to the Convener, 12 December 2022
Letter from the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity to the Convener, 1 November 2022
Letter from the Convener to the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, 29 September 2022
Submission from Marine Conservation Society, 31 August 2022
Submission from Woodland Trust Scotland, 26 August 2022
Submission from RSPB Scotland, 25 August 2022
Submission from Scottish Wildlife Trust, 25 August 2022