FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MONDAY 18 OCTOBER 2010
Nagoya gives Scotland a golden opportunity to take steps towards becoming world leaders
As the world’s leaders meet in Nagoya, Japan, next week (18 – 29 October) to address the rapid loss of wildlife and biodiversity across the globe, the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Scotland’s leading wildlife charity, is calling on the Scottish Parliament to “get it right” when it comes to laws to protect Scotland’s wildlife.
The Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill, currently making its way through the Scottish Parliament, is a golden opportunity for Scotland to lead the way in legislating for the protection of wildlife and to halt biodiversity loss.
According to the Scottish Wildlife Trust, the bill fails to deliver the key measures which are necessary to protect our country’s wildlife for the future. The bill proposes to continue with the current discredited and unworkable voluntary approach to deer management, for example, and, crucially, fails to comply with European conservation law.
In a bid to seize the moment and build on the momentum created at Nagoya, the charity is calling on everyone to get involved to ensure their local MSP makes a difference in Parliament by writing a letter to campaign for a better Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill.
Tony King, Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Head of Policy, said: “The bill sets out to reform outdated wildlife laws in Scotland and it marks a rare chance to put in place the legal underpinnings which are essential to achieving essential change for nature conservation.
“The bill contains welcome proposals to update the law on poaching, tidying-up measures on Sites of Special Scientific Interest and a comprehensive new approach to tackling non-native invasive species. But this bill could be so much more than the sum of its parts; it is a chance for Scotland to back, through legislation, the ecosystem-scale approach to nature conservation which the Scottish Wildlife Trust has called for consistently over recent years.
“The time has come to stop looking at nature as something to be found only in reserves but to allow wildlife and the cycles and processes of nature which underpin the economy and add immeasurably to people’s quality of life to thrive.
“Much like the focus of Nagoya, this bill is about ensuring the right laws are passed now to allow whole ecosystems to adapt and remain healthy and resilient for the future in the face of climate change. Parliament can achieve this very simply by coming into line with European law and transposing the EU Habitats Directive provisions on the ecological coherence of the Natura 2000 network.
“Parliamentary arithmetic is so tight that a single MSP’s vote could be all it takes to change the law, and that vote could depend on a single letter.
“To find out more about how you can get involved by writing to your MSP to ask them to act on your behalf in Parliament, visit www.swt.org.uk/actnow.”
***ENDS***
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Tony King, Head of Policy, 0131 312 4771 / 07795 608 262
Notes to Editors
- The Scottish Wildlife Trust is the largest voluntary body working for all the wildlife of Scotland, representing more than 35,000 members who care for wildlife and the environment. The Scottish Wildlife Trust seeks toraise public awareness of threatened habitats and species and manages over 120 reserves Scotland-wide.
- The Scottish Wildlife Trust receives financial assistance and support from a range of organisations, funders and individuals including Scottish Natural Heritage and People’s Postcode Lottery.