Meeting of the Parliament 01 June 2016
Thank you, Presiding Officer, for that grace period of a couple of moments.
I expect that the creation of the new post of Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform took many by surprise. Having been the environment minister between 2009 and 2011, I certainly did not expect to find myself restored to many of the policy areas that I dealt with then. It will be interesting to see what has and has not changed.
What has not changed is my enthusiasm for the job—and what a job it is. We are not often blessed with a sustained spell of balmy, sunny weather in Scotland, but I will take every credit for it. There is no doubt that it shows our natural environment at its best.
With our land, our air, our seas, our climate, our flora and our fauna, there can be no doubt that our stunning natural environment is one of Scotland’s most precious assets. How we own, manage, control, conserve, promote, support and develop all those aspects individually and collectively matters hugely to the Government’s ambitions for our country. Put simply, they form the backbone on which a fairer Scotland and a strong and sustainable low-carbon economy can and should be built. How we harness the bounty that they offer now and in the future will help to determine the success of our ambitions for Scotland and her people.
I feel hugely privileged to be leading the Government’s work on the portfolio, and I am also proud of the work that began while I was the environment minister to develop the idea of the environment as a public good that we need to protect and grow. Our natural capital is a national asset and, as with any other asset, we must ensure that it remains in good condition now and for the future.
That approach is exemplified in our stance on fracking. The Government is deeply sceptical about fracking and, by putting in place a moratorium, we have ensured that no fracking can take place. We are undertaking thorough research, and we plan to consult the people of Scotland fully on the issue, so that any decision is based on both the evidence and public opinion.