Nature needs Scotland's political parties to put differences aside

It’s a turbulent time in Scottish politics. Last week, the Scottish Green Party, including the Biodiversity Minister left the Scottish Government and the First Minister has now announced his intention to resign. At the time of writing (Monday afternoon, 29 April), the implications of the First Minister’s decision are continuing to unfold. RSPB Scotland - of course - remains politically neutral. Whatever happens in the coming weeks, what matters is that legislation, policies, and funds which help tackle the nature and climate crisis are taken forward.

The strong message we are re-emphasising with all parties is that an overwhelming majority of Scots care about nature and want to see action to help it recover.

Scotland’s natural environment is a source of pride, contributes to health and wellbeing, and supports thousands of jobs. Opinion polling shows most Scots say the environment is personally important to them, and they are concerned about the threats posed by climate change and human activity to Scotland’s natural environment.

In recent weeks our supporters have been sending us their stories, sharing memorable nature moments, and saying why #NatureMatters. We’re sharing these stories with politicians to remind them at this crucial time that action for nature is vital. We expect to see a Natural Environment Bill brought to the Scottish Parliament later this year. The Bill could be a huge moment for nature in Scotland, setting recovery targets to drive action across government and society. You can read a selection of #NatureMatters stories here, and there’s still time to submit yours if you haven’t already.

This builds on last year’s #SaveScotSpecies campaign, which resulted in MSPs receiving over 11,000 virtual postcards from members of the public expressing their love of key species such as Puffin, Curlew, Swift and Hen Harrier.

Female Hen Harrier in flight. Andy Hay

Our supporters were kind enough to share with us the responses they received from MSPs – some notable examples are below. This means we can hold the politicians to their commitments.

• “Just like climate change, the loss of species and degradation of our natural environment is an existential threat to humanity. And just like climate change, the action needed is both urgent and transformative. That is why the Scottish Government is clear that this is an emergency that requires an emergency response.” – Angela Constance, SNP MSP

• “Our natural environment is Scotland’s greatest asset, and we must do everything we can to protect and nurture it - so it can be enjoyed by future generations. But in recent decades we have experienced catastrophic loss of species and their habitats, accelerated by climate change. That’s why the Scottish Conservatives support plans for an ambitious Nature Bill, to strengthen environmental protections on land, in our rivers and at sea - so that we can reverse the decline in native species.” – Douglas Ross MSP and MP, Leader of the Scottish Conservatives

• “We recognise the link between the reform of food production and sustainability, including energy use, water, biodiversity, soil, food waste and land use. Scottish Labour supports the principle of public money for public goods, such as clean water and air, beautiful scenery, and biodiversity provision. Peatlands, forests and seagrass will also continue to play an essential role in the shift towards net-zero emissions as well as the vital biodiversity improvements needed.” – Sarah Boyack MSP, Net Zero spokesperson for Scottish Labour

• “The Scottish Greens share your passion for Scotland’s fantastic nature and iconic wildlife and they are working hard to implement policies to better protect and restore our natural world. Our ranking on the global Biodiversity Intactness Index highlights the importance of taking action to rapidly improve conditions for Scotland’s species and wider biodiversity over the next decade.” – Lorna Slater MSP, Co-leader of the Scottish Greens

• “Scottish Liberal Democrats believe that more needs to be done to halt and reverse the decline in many of Scotland’s important species. We recognise that the climate crisis and biodiversity loss are not separate issues. They are deeply intertwined, in both sickness and in health.” – Beatrice Wishart, LibDem MSP

Human-driven habitat loss, invasive non-native species, and lack of protection for our most precious ecosystems have put nature in crisis. People across Scotland want to see action to renew nature as a central priority for the government and parliament. No matter how rough the political weather, we will continue to make the case that #NatureMatters.

Header image: a bumblebee on a thistle by Sam Turley.