Scotland worried about its environment after Brexit

The difficult relationship between the United Kingdom, Scotland and the European Union continues to create excitement in the northernmost of the Home Nations. In this case the most burning issue is that of environmental protection, with environmental associations accusing the country's ministers of failing to guarantee compliance with pollution laws in the post-Brexit scenario. 

In an open letter published by the Guardian, 16 bodies of Scotland’s leading conservation and civic groups including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, WWF, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, National Trust for Scotland and Royal Scottish Geographic Society, have urged Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister, to introduce an environment act guaranteeing that legal rights available within the EU continue after Brexit. 

«Nicola Sturgeon – says the letter - has acknowledged that our planet faces a climate emergency. Inextricably linked to this is growing ecological crisis. We must not let Brexit derail us from tackling these huge global challenges head on. Whatever the outcome of the current political uncertainties we need robust, binding, targets for the recovery of Scotland’s natural environment, to safeguard both nature and people». 

Its signatories want the new act to create an independent regulator to police government and public agency decisions, and enforce environmental laws to at least the same standard as the EU’s. 

Roseanna Cunningham, the Scottish environment secretary, said: «While our choice would be to remain fully within EU governance systems our approach will ensure we remain true to the EU environmental principles and ensure governance that fit Scottish needs, circumstances and ambitions. I welcome the continuing involvement of environmental NGOs and civil society in Scotland in this work». 

Lang Banks, the director of WWF Scotland, said: «Citizens have a right to raise concerns but we now risk losing the ability to freely access environmental justice. We are in a climate emergency, we’re in the midst of a biodiversity crisis, and this is the point where we need to be ramping up our environmental protections. Brexit means we risk losing the protections we currently have, when we need them most».