Hansard

::I open the debate by thanking members across the chamber and members of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee for the positive spirit in which they have engaged, over many weeks, with me and my Government colleagues during stages 1 and 2. I firmly believe that their detailed scrutiny, feedback and thoughtful challenge have shaped the bill for the better, from the inclusion of measures to help specific species such as the swift to measures that will protect our internationally important wetlands. I also thank all the stakeholders who gave evidence.

Mairi Gougeon, Jim Fairlie and I have spent much of the past few weeks meeting members, listening to and discussing their concerns and working through proposals. Indeed, that engagement led to many of the positive amendments to protect Scotland’s nature that were agreed to yesterday and on Tuesday. That is a timely reminder that constructive dialogue leads to better and more effective law.

I again thank our diverse stakeholders, including the environmental organisations, land managers, crofters, farmers, fishers, gamekeepers, community trusts and public bodies, such as NatureScot and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, for their input and expertise, which have been absolutely invaluable to all of us.

Today’s debate offers all of us the opportunity to send a clear and strong message that this Parliament stands on the side of nature, and I encourage all members to take that opportunity.

I appreciate that members may disagree on some of the mechanisms or on the pace of delivery, but I do not think that anyone disputes the urgency of the challenge that is in front of us or the responsibility that we all share. That shared understanding has been evident not only in the broad support for the bill’s aims, but in the number and breadth of amendments that have been lodged. Together, they reflect a collective determination to ensure that the legislation is as ambitious as possible and is genuinely responsive to the realities that our natural environment faces. That willingness to test, strengthen and stretch the bill demonstrates that the Parliament is determined to set a stronger, more far-reaching framework for environmental stewardship.

That framework is rooted not only in protecting what we have left, but—crucially—in restoring what we have lost. Scotland’s ambition must not simply be to conserve our natural environment but to lead globally in repairing it, restoring habitats, rebuilding resilience and renewing the ecosystem that sustains us.

I want to address directly the removal of part 2 of the bill, which contained powers to amend elements of the environmental impact assessment legislation and the habitats regulations. I understand the depth of feeling that was expressed at stages 1 and 2 on the issue. Many stakeholders and members made it clear that they wanted stronger safeguards, particularly in relation to non-regression amid concerns that future Governments might weaken standards. Those concerns were sincerely held, and they were heard. I hope that the removal of part 2 strengthens confidence in the bill as a whole.

However, I must make it clear that, as a result of the removal of part 2, we still face a legislative gap that was created by Brexit. In the short term, we can use the powers under the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021, but, looking further ahead, we need to consider a long-term solution. We will now take time to carefully consider options, and I will continue to engage with stakeholders and members. However, I strongly believe that any future proposals must reflect our commitment to maintaining high environmental standards and must provide more than a temporary solution to fixing that gap.

The bill demonstrates the Scottish Government’s and the Parliament’s firm and shared commitment to protecting and restoring Scotland’s world-class natural environment. If it is passed today—I hope that it will be passed overwhelmingly—the next phase will be to bring forward statutory targets to give full effect to the framework that the bill establishes. Those targets, which will be developed through engagement with the Parliament and stakeholders, will provide clear direction, accountability and ambition for nature recovery. We are now entering the final phase of the four-step process to develop recommendations for statutory targets. In doing so, we are working in close collaboration with the independent experts of the programme advisory group. We look forward to bringing forward those recommendations and to continuing our constructive engagement with stakeholders as we consider the careful development and refinement of the targets.

However, today, our focus is on the amended bill before us, which creates the strongest statutory framework that Scotland has ever had for nature recovery. The bill is strengthened by cross-party work and reflects a shared commitment to protect and restore our precious natural environment.

The crisis that we face is urgent, but it is not hopeless. We know that biodiversity is in crisis, both globally and at home. However, with clarity, collaboration and long-term determination, Scotland can chart a different course—one where restored habitats, healthier ecosystems and thriving species are not exceptional but expected. This Parliament has an opportunity today to lay the foundations for that future, to send a clear signal across Scotland and beyond that we intend to leave our natural environment in better condition than we found it, and to ensure that future generations do not inherit the consequences of inaction but the legacy of commitment and hope. I look forward to listening to members’ contributions to the debate.

I move,

That the Parliament agrees that the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill be passed.