Meeting of the Parliament 20 December 2022
I am very grateful, Presiding Officer. I rise to request that tomorrow’s business be adjusted to include a ministerial statement on the Government’s biodiversity strategy, which was laid in Parliament on 13 December 2022. For the benefit of those in the chamber, I note that that is the purpose of the amendment that I lodged.
The strategy is incredibly timely given that, just yesterday, at the 15th United Nations conference of the parties—the biodiversity summit—which many worry too often plays second fiddle to the climate conference COP, a deal was sealed on a new global biodiversity framework. Some have called it a Paris moment for nature. In it, nations have adopted four goals and 23 targets for 2030 to protect our lands, coasts and inland waters.
The loss of species and degradation of our natural environment is an existential threat to humanity that requires that we take urgent and transformative action. Indeed, Minister Lorna Slater states at the beginning of the biodiversity strategy:
“this is an emergency that requires an emergency response.”
Indeed it does, and that is why we must hear a ministerial statement without delay. I note that the strategy is already a week old. Waiting several weeks until after the recess fails to recognise the importance of the strategy.
It is important that the issue is put into context. Scottish Forestry created only 9,500 hectares of new woodland last year, against the Scottish Government’s target of 13,500 hectares for 2021-22. The Government’s “State of Nature Scotland” report states that species abundance has shown a marked and continual decline in the past 10 years. More generally, 49 per cent of species have decreased. A year ago, The Ferret reported that 531 habitats and 603 species in Scotland are in poor condition, including island and upland habitats. Species that are in poor condition and in decline include the Scottish wildcat, the hedgehog, the capercaillie and the Arctic skua. Just this morning, the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee heard from the Climate Change Committee about the importance of peatland restoration. However the Government’s target of 20,000 hectares per year was missed by well over 10,000 hectares.
In that context, the biodiversity strategy is key. The Climate Change Committee’s report and the evidence that it has given to committee indicate that data, monitoring and proper planning are imperative in order to achieve what we all want. Therefore, it is vital that ministers appear before the Parliament so that MSPs can interrogate the monitoring and evaluation framework that will be used to check that we are meeting our biodiversity targets, ensure that we see how stakeholder engagement will be carried out—engaging the public so that they buy into the biodiversity strategy is key to successful outcomes—and to see whether the priority actions that have been set out for 2030 are the most appropriate for achieving our biodiversity goals. Although I appreciate that the Parliament has a tight timescale before the Christmas recess, the biodiversity and nature crisis will not wait—and nor should we.
Respectfully, I ask the Parliament to grant my request for there to be a ministerial statement on the biodiversity strategy tomorrow.
I move amendment S6M-07320.3, to insert after “3.15 pm Portfolio Questions: Rural Affairs and Islands; Health and Social Care; Social Justice, Housing and Local Government”:
“followed by Ministerial Statement: Biodiversity Strategy”.
Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.