A Greener Scotland

We believe passionately that there can be a better future for Scotland's built and natural environment.

We will achieve a greener Scotland by improving our natural and built environments, and the sustainable use and enjoyment of these.

Scotland is facing a number of pressures in terms of its environment. The way in which we respond to these pressures will be critical to whether we can become a modern, successful economy, with a good quality of life to retain and attract talented people.

Some pressures are global, such as the increasing impact of climate change. Others are related to changing patterns in the way we live and work, such as the increase in solo-living and the demand this creates for additional housing and infrastructure, increased commuting distances and a growth in municipal waste. As a society, increased consumption is leading to increasing impacts on natural resources in Scotland and around the world, through our global footprint. The global pressure on natural resources caused by a rising demand for energy and raw materials, and intensified by increasingly complex and uncertain international relations, will undoubtedly affect Scotland.

All around the world we are likely to see increased competition for natural resources such as fossil fuels, timber and building materials. Scotland has the opportunity to become a leader in technological areas such as renewable energy.

The first year

During our first year in government, we laid the foundations for a greener Scotland:

We established a Greener Scotland programme to focus on:

Ø Climate Change

Ø Consumption and production - moving towards a zero-waste society

Ø Sustainable places

Ø People, nature and countryside culture

Ø We believe that the public sector should set an example to others in the way it operates.

Therefore, along with our partners in other parts of the public sector, we have begun to develop plans for the public sector to adopt a range of greener and more sustainable practices, for example through improved procurement to increase the use of recycled material;

· We have clearly stated our opposition to any new nuclear power stations being built in Scotland - and made this central to realising our clean energy ambitions; and

· We have set in motion a new entrants scheme for farming - and recognised the need to maintain Scotland's vital farming skills.

Other achievements include: 

• Launched consultation on a Scottish Climate Change Bill, signalling intent to lead the global effort: proposal to reduce Scottish emissions by 80% by 2050.
• Announced Climate Challenge Fund for communities to reduce their carbon footprint. 
• Set new targets for recycling and reducing the amount of waste being sent to landfill (75 per cent of municipal waste to be recycled by 2025)
• Convened first ever Scottish Summit on Flooding
• Secured historic deal at annual fisheries talks in Brussels giving Scotland control over its own days at sea; international recognition for our conservation credit scheme
• Launched review of the national strategy on aquaculture
• Created Sustainable Seas Task Force to develop proposals for sustainable use of our marine and coastal environment. 
• £10 million to support New Entrants to Farming
• Kicked off the National Food Discussion
• Supporting rural communities through £1.6 billion Rural Development Programme.
• Overturned decision to exclude Highland Perthshire from Cairngorms National Park.
• Instigated review of how wildlife crime is investigated and prosecuted 

The year ahead

To help achieve a greener Scotland, the Scottish Government will:

• ensure that public spending across portfolios contributes to the action needed to help mitigate climate change so that we meet the measurable statutory targets to be set through a Scottish Climate Change Bill;
• fund initiatives by farmers and other stakeholders in the rural community to reduce climate change emissions from land management practices and to manage our rural environment more effectively, through the £1.6 billion Rural Development Programme;
• fund a new £2 million annual Saltire Prize to inspire further innovation and a £10 million horizon prize;
• support the delivery of ten megawatts of marine energy from our waters by 2010, helping to make Scotland the world leader in wave and tidal power; and triple the funding for community renewables and microgeneration to reach £13.5 million a year by 2010-11;
• support local authorities as they reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill in line with EU requirements, with a recycling target of 70%;
• deliver increasingly high standards of environmental performance and design as we refurbish the public sector estate, including schools, hospitals and prisons, and require the same of all new buildings and investments drawing on public funds;
• improve sustainable procurement, for example, urging all public bodies in Scotland to specify fresh, locally available, seasonal produce;
• reduce pollution through record levels of investment in Scottish Water's £2.5 billion infrastructure programme and through providing additional funding for the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency's ( SEPA) programmes addressing pollution;
• support new Waste Management projects as part of our zero waste strategy;
• introduce a sustainable development and climate change resource to identify new exemplar projects;
• invest in public transport, providing £840.0m/£917.0m/£897.0m on rail and tram services and projects in Scotland, £3 million a year on travel information, £57.2 million a year to support bus services and £11 million a year on direct support for sustainable and active travel. This, along with support to local authorities will support sustainable places by reducing car dependency and increasing the proportion of people walking and cycling;
• allocate resources from Historic Scotland's £50 million budget to undertake historic building conservation projects that will allow future generations to enjoy our historic assets too; and
• ensure new and effective marine management arrangements in Scotland help support our marine-based industries and protect and enhance our coasts and seas through a Scottish Marine Bill.

We will continue to make progress over the year ahead, using both legislative and non-legislative measures, to tackle and adapt to climate change, create more sustainable places valued by those who live and work in them, reduce the lifecycle impact of what we consume and produce, ensure our natural environment is respected and enjoyed, and ensure that we have living landscapes that reflect Scotland's identity:

• We will consult on proposals regarding the introduction of legislation to tackle the problem of climate change, establishing mandatory targets and monitoring arrangements to reduce our emissions by 80% by 2050 and putting in place a framework within which Scottish industries can invest with certainty in world-beating, low-carbon technologies, enabling Scotland to become a leader in developing solutions to this pressing global problem;
• We will publish a strategy for low-carbon buildings. This will be based on the input of an expert panel and will be targeted at increasing energy efficiency through building regulations;
• We will make progress on our proposals for a North Sea super-grid. We have already met with the European Commission on this topic and will meet with the Norwegian government shortly to take forward proposals to connect Scotland's huge offshore renewable generation capacity to electricity markets across Europe. We will also seek to remove the current barriers to the further development of renewable energy in Scotland through continuing discussions with the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM);
• We will consult on the proposed Scottish marine legislation, involving all relevant users including the fishing industry;
• We will take forward, working with local authorities and other delivery partners, our strategy for increasing recycling and other measures to move towards a zero-waste society;
• We will work with local authorities to achieve more sustainable places, where people can enjoy quality living, making more journeys on foot or cycle and reducing dependence on car use; and we will encourage good architecture and design carrying forward the best Scottish practice for future generations to enjoy;
• Working with land managers, we will continue to preserve our habitats and our rich biodiversity and will promote the active enjoyment of them for health, recreation and education;
• We will reform crofting, following the work of the current inquiry, recognising the unique contribution that small scale land management practices can make in terms of public benefits to the environment; and
• We will encourage greater public use of the forests and countryside, which can provide for personal fitness and spiritual refreshment that can bring mental health benefits.

These measures - both legislative and non-legislative - will begin to put into action our comprehensive and rounded approach to achieving our aims.

Together, these actions will help us to begin to realise Scotland's place in leading work on the environment and natural resources, whether through generating more renewable and green energy, saving energy or reducing waste and enjoying our heritage. If we work together to achieve a greener Scotland, we will be better placed to share success across all of our communities.