Environment: Subject Profile 25 May 2016 16/42 Dan Barlow, Flora O’Brien, Tom Edwards, Wendy Kenyon, Alan Rehfisch & Alasdair Reid
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The Scottish Parliament and Scottish Parliament Infor mation C entre l ogos. SPICe Briefing Environment: Subject Profile 25 May 2016 16/42 Dan Barlow, Flora O’Brien, Tom Edwards, Wendy Kenyon, Alan Rehfisch & Alasdair Reid This briefing is written for the benefit of both new MSPs and those returning to the Parliament. It provides an overview of the main issues within the environment portfolio. It highlights the main legislation and policy developments in previous parliamentary sessions, and potential future developments. More detailed briefings on environment topics will be produced throughout the parliamentary session. Loch Lomond. Source: VisitScotland Transport Emissions. Source: Scottish Government CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................................................................. 3 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................... 5 SCOTLAND PERFORMS ........................................................................................................................................ 6 AIR QUALITY ............................................................................................................................................................... 7 BIODIVERSITY............................................................................................................................................................. 9 PROTECTED AREAS AND SPECIES ...................................................................................................................... 11 PESTICIDES AND HERBICIDES .............................................................................................................................. 12 Neonicotinoids .................................................................................................................................................... 12 Glyphosate ......................................................................................................................................................... 13 WASTE AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY ...................................................................................................................... 13 SCOTLAND’S APPROACH TO RESOURCE USE ............................................................................................... 14 WASTE TRENDS IN SCOTLAND .......................................................................................................................... 17 FRESHWATER ENVIRONMENT AND FLOODING .................................................................................................. 17 WATER INDUSTRY ................................................................................................................................................... 19 SCOTTISH WATER INDUSTRY LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK ........................................................................... 20 OWNERSHIP OF SCOTTISH WATER .................................................................................................................. 21 SCOTTISH WATER MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE ............................................................................................. 21 FUNDING OF SCOTTISH WATER ........................................................................................................................ 21 REGULATION OF THE SCOTTISH WATER INDUSTRY ..................................................................................... 21 SOURCES .................................................................................................................................................................. 23 RELATED BRIEFINGS .............................................................................................................................................. 28 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Issue Key policy action / legislation Future developments Air Quality Air pollutant emissions in The Scottish Government’s 2015 strategy Scotland have substantially Cleaner Air for Scotland: The Road to a declined since 1990, however Healthier Future sets out various targets, pollutants from transport, energy including: production and agriculture are Achieve compliance with EU limits by still prevalent, in spite of 2020 European and Scottish 10% of everyday journeys made by legislation, and many parts of bike by 2020 Scotland still breach legal air pollution levels at certain times. Phase out 50% of all petrol and diesel fuelled vehicles from urban environments by 2030 Renewables to generate the equivalent of 100% electricity demand, 11% of heat demand and 30% of overall energy demand, all by 2020. Biodiversity At a Scottish level and Implementation of Scotland’s Biodiversity – A internationally, the target to Route Map to 2020 is ongoing. significantly reduce the rate of biodiversity loss globally by 2010 was missed. In response the Scottish Government published 2020 Challenge for Scotland’s Biodiversity reflecting the new international Aichi Targets. Protected The Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive underpin a European network of Areas and protected areas known as Natura 2000. In Scotland the Wildlife and Countryside Species Act 1981, the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004, and the Wildlife and the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 implement these Directives. Pesticides Based on work carried out by the European Food Safety Authority the European and Commission restricted the use of three pesticides - clothianidin, imidacloprid and Herbicides thiamethoxam (known as neonicotinoids). This mainly affects oil seed rape growers in Scotland. The Scottish Government has stated it supports the continuation of the current ban. The approval the weedkiller glyphosate was due to expire in December 2015. In April 2016, the European Parliament voted to support the re-authorisation of the glyphosate. The European Commission has yet to make a final decision on the re-approval of glyphosate. Waste and The Scottish Parliament passed The SNP manifesto sets out their intention to 3 Circular The Waste (Scotland) bring forward a Circular Economy and Zero Economy Regulations 2012 that set out a Waste Bill. range of measures aimed at The Scottish Government are developing boosting recycling and their next plan that sets how they intend to improving resource efficiency. meet their forthcoming climate change goals. In 2016 the Scottish It is expected that a draft of this plan will be Government published A laid in the Scottish Parliament later in 2016 Circular Economy Strategy for for Parliamentary scrutiny. It is likely that this Scotland. document will include policies and proposals to address emissions associated with waste. Freshwater Key legislation includes the Action to improve the water environment Environment Water Environment and Water centres around the implementation of River and Flooding Services (Scotland) Act 2003, Basin Management Plans. Action to manage and the Flood Risk Management flood risk focuses on the delivery of a series (Scotland) Act 2009. of Flood Risk Management Strategies and Plans. Regulation of Scottish Water is the sole The Scottish Government is committed to the Water supplier of water and waste making Scotland a Hydro Nation, maximising Industry water services to domestic the sustainable economic benefit of the properties in Scotland. It is also country’s water resource, while raising the the wholesale supplier of water profile of Scotland as an international leader and waste water services to the in water management and governance while licensed providers which serve developing an international centre of the competitive non-domestic expertise. market. The strategic direction of Scottish Water is set through directions issued by Scottish Ministers. Scottish Water and the licensed providers are regulated by the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS). 4 INTRODUCTION The “environment” encompasses the surroundings and conditions in which something or someone exists. It is often thought of in terms of the ‘natural environment’ which generally refers to all living, and non-living things which have been created by ‘natural’ means. However, human beings have been interacting with the non-human environment, and have shaped and been shaped by it throughout history. As humans can’t exist without the natural environment, we are considered to be a part of it, rather than separate from it (Lockwood et al 2008). The environment can include ecosystems – systems of living organisms interacting with the non-living parts of the environment. These interactions provide us with goods and services that are essential to our survival and wellbeing. For example, living plants take nutrients and energy from non-living soil, air and sunlight, and provide us with oxygen to breathe, fruits, vegetables, seeds and grains, to eat, and timber and fibre for fuel, construction, clothing, and many other uses. Thus human systems such as the economy and society are built upon, and reliant on, a stable and well-functioning environment (World Resources Institute 2005). However, the environment is finite – this means there are limits to how much we can take out of it without affecting its ability to keep providing us with essentials for survival, as well as the raw materials and energy on which our economies depend. The concept of “sustainable development” seeks to ensure that human and environmental concerns are integrated