Anne McCall, Director of RSPB Scotland, recently spoke at the European Environment Bureau Conference. Here she reflects on the conference and the importance of co-operation for our environment.
Brexit or no Brexit: the environment needs international governance and cooperation
Anne speaking at the EEB Conference
It's a cliché but also entirely appropriate: the environment really does know no boundaries. Our human divisions of counties and countries, our regional and national political jurisdictions though distinct and meaningful to us, have no significance to our birds and animals. Nature is mobile and fluid. And likewise, so are our impacts on it. Air pollution is blown across national boundaries; fish populations are shared by many coastal states; and international trade is one of the most significant factors in the spread of invasive non-native species.
Of course, RSPB Scotland has always been aware that our bird populations are part of a global resource - with wildfowl and waders arriving here for the winter, from our northern neighbours, while many of our breeding birds – swallow, swift, corncrake, osprey and wheatear - migrating across Europe and Africa to winter in warmer climes.
This is why RSPB Scotland, as part of the UK-wide RSPB and the global BirdLife International, has always advocated international co-operation. Such co-operation between those managing sites has enabled the sharing of knowledge and good practice. This co-operation between governments is essential to address global or supra-national issues such as climate change. We have always supported multinational action to address environmental issues and, before the EU referendum, recognised that while the EU had environmental negatives as well as positives, it was, on balance, safer for nature for the UK to remain as part of that union.
Notwithstanding the result of that EU referendum and the subsequent Brexit negotiations, we continue to adhere to these principles - and wish to see international cooperation and action retained, whatever the outcome. It is important that the Scottish and UK Governments maintain their commitments to environmental standards, funding and governance - and that both the UK and EU27 agree that, whatever the future arrangements, there should be no "race to the bottom".
I’ve been reflecting on this since the Scottish Environment LINK and European Environment Bureau conference, held in Edinburgh last week. It was a huge pleasure to join with our LINK partners to welcome EEB colleagues, from across Europe to Scotland, and outline RSPB Scotland's approach to the challenges arising from current political uncertainties.
I indicated that, whatever the future, our focus will - as environmentalists and as a charity - always be on outcomes: on preventing and reversing the loss of biodiversity and addressing climate change. I also called for our politicians, in Scotland, the UK and the EU, to make greater efforts to maintain, implement and enforce environmental laws. Whatever happens, we will continue, as NGOs, to cooperate with, share knowledge and experience and support our partners throughout the BirdLife and EEB networks.
Roseanna Cunningham MSP, Cabinet Secretary of Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform speaking at the EEB Conference
It was so encouraging that the conference was addressed by Roseanna Cunningham MSP, Cabinet Secretary of Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform. She used the opportunity to reiterate the Scottish Government's clear and resolute commitment to maintain environment standards in Scotland - and to continue the ambition to lead the way to higher standards. This is enormously welcome - but especially positive was her additional commitment to press the UK Government to retain the principles of EU environmental law - such as the precautionary and polluter pays principle. I wish her well in this; it represents one of the key changes to the Withdrawal Bill advocated by the Greener UK partnership of which we are a leading partner.
Beyond these Brexit-related debates, the conference was also a great opportunity to renew and deepen connections between European NGOs and plan co-operation for the future. RSPB Scotland, other LINK members and the EEB will continue with such cooperation, for the benefit of our wildlife and the environment, whatever happens politically. Let us hope that Governments, in Scotland, the UK and across Europe, find ways to do the same!