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Nature cannot remain the background issue it’s been during election campaign
First published in the National. Scotland and nature are in many ways inseparable: our landscapes, our wildlife, and our seas are all at the heart of our shared culture and identity, and people come here from all around the world to see the wonders we enjoy on our doorsteps. But our natural environment is nowhere…
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Introducing ‘Scottish nature data’
Today I’ve launched a new website, Scottish Nature Data, to make it easy to explore environmental information by local area. The site lets you find data either by searching any Scottish postcode or by filtering by local authority, parliamentary constituency, or parliamentary region. For any area you can find: The site also hosts a dashboard…
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What we achieved in this parliament
Scottish voters will go to the polls next month in an election that will bring a massive turnover in elected representatives. As many as half of the MSPs being sworn in are likely to be fresh faces, and – regardless of the winning party – the Cabinet and Ministers will look very different. The 2021-26 parliament…
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Two new tools to help advocates for nature
Hello subscribers – I just wanted to share two new things on my website that I hope will be helpful to those interested in advocating for the environment. And some short thoughts on a related topic… The first is a daily news update which sends an automated list of new and blogs that are (mainly)…
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Map: Scotland’s protected areas
Scotland has committed to the global goal of 30 by 30 – protecting 30% of our land and sea for nature by the end of this decade. Currently just under 18% of land is a protected site, with around 70% of that land in favourable or recovering condition. Map shows all of Scotland’s protected sites…
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Scotland has a new law to restore nature. Will the next parliament deliver?
The passage of the Natural Environment Bill is a victory for campaigners who’ve been pushing for statutory nature targets for close to a decade. The government’s press release said that: “When set, the targets will ensure Scotland is on a bold and ambitious journey to be ‘nature positive’ by 2030 and has actively and substantially restored…
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4 things we learned from our poll on the environment and the election
LINK recently published new research by Diffley Partnership examining how environmental issues might influence next year’s Holyrood election. Here are 4 things we learned from the poll.
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Take the environment seriously if you have your eyes on Bute House
First published in the National on 11th October WITH the SNP gathering in Aberdeen for their conference this weekend, all attention will be on next year’s Holyrood election. The sense of invincibility that surrounded the party for so long was punctured by Labour’s victory in the 2024 General Election, which seemed to clear Anas Sarwar’s path…
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North Berwick Law ponies
Two of the Exmoor ponies on North Berwick Law, introduced for conservation grazing.
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Every part of the UK has a pro-climate majority. So why does our politics feel so weird?
New research shows a clear pro-climate majority in every UK local authority. But does this feel reflected in our media and political debate?
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The Natural Environment Bill part 4 – deer management
A summary of Part 4 of the Natural Environment Bill, covering deer management.
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Scottish Parliament: my evidence at committee
Highlights from a recent appearance at the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on the Natural Environment Bill.
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The Natural Environment Bill part 3 – National Parks
A summary of Part 3 of the Natural Environment Bill, covering National Parks.
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The Natural Environment Bill part 2 – Powers to modify environmental regulation
A summary of Part 2 of the Natural Environment Bill, related to Environmental Impact Assessments and the habitats regulations.
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The Natural Environment Bill part 1 – targets
A summary of Part 1 of the Natural Environment Bill, which will require legal targets for the restoration of nature.
