Scotland loves nature, with recent polling showing most of us have noticed environmental harm in our local area and that we are worried about the natural environment.
It is therefore baffling and demoralising to see Scottish Ministers proposing cuts to nature restoration funding given to local councils.
In recent years, such funding has been distributed through a variety of sources to help turbo-boost efforts by charities and community groups determined to revive lost habitats and save threatened species. This blog we published in May details some of the dozens of projects around the country that have benefited, resulting in economic activity in rural and urban areas of Scotland. The funding has helped much-loved seabirds such as Puffin, waders such as Curlew, and rare moths and hoverflies.
The plan to repurpose the funding flies in the face of Scottish Government statements about the seriousness of the nature and climate crisis. It also puts First Minister John Swinney in an embarrassing situation, with Scotland assuming the presidency of the Regions4 global environmental network which aims to demonstrate leadership on biodiversity and climate.
Reducing nature restoration funding will make it even harder for ministers to catch up on climate commitments that are already in trouble. This autumn we expect to see new legislation to do away with the target of reducing climate change emissions by 75% by 2030. Instead, Scotland is likely to move to a system of carbon budgets. But what really matters is action on the ground to deliver emissions reduction, and one of the best ways of getting to net zero is by restoring nature.
We could make great strides by investing more in peatland restoration, nature-friendly farming, and woodland expansion. Cutting, rather than increasing, existing sources of money for such measures sends a terrible signal. It suggests that tackling the nature and climate crisis is not a priority for this government.
The planned cut also makes no sense when we look at the bigger picture of council funding. Local authorities’ annual spending is around £25 billion, so £5 million only represents 0.02% of that total. Is sacrificing the restoration of our natural environment really the only way for the government to fund the pay rises it has promised?
It is our hope that ministers reconsider, recognise the value to communities, the economy and public wellbeing from restoring nature, and maintain the nature restoration funding given to councils.
If you share our view, please consider writing to Scottish Ministers and/or your MSPs. Tell them how much nature matters to you.
You can write to the Scottish Government using these email addresses:
John Swinney MSP, First Minister - firstminister@gov.scot
Shona Robison, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government - CabSecFLG@gov.scot
Gillian Martin, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero - cabsecfornze@gov.scot
And you can find your MSPs by postcode here.
Do let us know what responses you get!
Campaigns.scotland@rspb.org.uk
We will meanwhile continue to press the case for a rethink. Thank you for your support.