The Scottish Government

Scotland's Future - The Environmental Challenge

SPEECH BY FIRST MINISTER RT HON JACK McCONNELL MSP

'SCOTLAND'S FUTURE - THE ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGE'

ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, EDINBURGH

FEBRUARY 5, 2007

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It's good to be back in the Botanics.

For well over three centuries, these gardens have led the way in the study and conservation of plants. There are many areas of science where Scotland excels. A number are world class - and the Royal Botanic Garden is one of those, second only to Kew in this field.

Listen to the First Minister deliver his speech (mp3 file)

Today, this is a world centre for conservation. For example, I have met your colleagues from the world-class Lijiang research facility in China - and the work you are doing there to protect some of the world's rarest plants is valued.

This is a great visitor attraction too. Every year, more than 700,000 people come here to discover, to enjoy, to learn - and to be inspired.

It's here that many young people first become fascinated with, and passionate about, our environment.

I was pleased to visit Currie Community High School on Friday, and was very keen that young people should be here for this speech as Environment Week begins.

Young people are at the forefront of environmental concern - and with good reason. It is you, more than anyone in this room, who will live with the consequences of our actions, as the full reality of climate change becomes more urgent and more inescapable.

Scotland has a higher proportion of eco-schools than any other European country, and there is a huge commitment and enthusiasm from our young people for a greener future for us all. On Friday, I was able to announce that we had met our target to register 80 per cent of Scotland's schools for the eco-schools programme a year ahead of schedule.

My desire is that every school in Scotland should be an eco-school. But in the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development I'm determined that eco-schools shouldn't be the only contribution we make.

I want too to thank Scottish Environment LINK and its member organisations for the work that they do. It is a model of constructive, effective lobbying that serves this sector well. As Scottish Environment Week begins, I'd like this afternoon to do three things.

Firstly, I'd like to reaffirm my commitment to the environment and to sustainable development - and to tell you how the environment fits into my overall vision for the kind of Scotland we are building.

Secondly, I'd like to talk to you about our environmental record - what we have achieved over the last five years to protect our environment and mainstream sustainable development.

Thirdly, I want to talk about where Scotland goes next. Scotland is moving in the right direction, but in the years to come we need to go further and faster to create the kind of society we wish to see. And today I want to emphasise the necessity to meet the environmental challenge in that way.

Commitment to the environment

First, then, my commitment to these matters. As Scotland's First Minister, I want to improve the opportunities, circumstances and life chances of people in every part of Scotland.

I want to see high employment and a strong economy. I want to see the best health services and the best educational opportunities for all. I want to see strong, safe communities around Scotland - and I want to see real choice for school leavers.

I want a Scotland of fairness, where the opportunity gap is closed. And I want Scotland to be full of talented, enterprising young people - ready to have a go and achieve their dreams and ambitions.

Easy things to say perhaps - but challenging to achieve. For 5 years as First Minister, I have worked to make them a reality and I know in my heart that progress has been made.

Listen to the First Minister deliver his speech (mp3 file)

But five years ago this month, in my first substantive policy speech as First Minister, it was sustainable development, and within that environmental justice, that I chose to address.

Some of you were there that day. Many views have been expressed since, but everyone knows that overall a positive case can be made for what we have achieved.

Because, those of you who know me know that environmental concern remains a central strand of what I seek to do as First Minister. It was no accident that I chose this subject that day. This is at the heart of my politics.

My belief is more profound than ever that the progressive politics of the twenty-first century must place sustainability alongside equality and prosperity if we are to create the better life for all that has always been the social democratic goal.

Five years ago there were still those who disputed the centrality of the issue.

But even then, scientists were claiming that, if we kept using our natural resources at the rates we were using them, we would need 1.2 planets to support us.

The work done by Richard and WWF on one planet living has shown us that now, we would need no less than three earths to sustain our lifestyle.

The exemplification of this is climate change. In Paris last week, the most prominent scientists in the world told us that temperatures could rise by as much as four degrees by the end of the century. That is the bleakest assessment yet, and the blame for its speed and extent lies firmly with humanity.

Or rather, with some of humanity. For the reality is that climate change is an environmental justice issue. It will impact disproportionately upon the poor, who have contributed least if at all to bringing it about.

When my colleague David Miliband was in Edinburgh on Friday, he made the strongest statements yet of the United Kingdom's concern and determination on climate change. My concern and determination is that Scotland should play its part, and more so. Because while there are some things that will need global action through international agreement, and some properly done at the level of the state, there are others that are best and most effectively done by our Scottish Government - and it is those that we will identify and then do.

It is now a given that the world's climate is changing, and that that change is accelerating. In the five years since I first spoke, this issue has grown and it has mainstreamed.

Even those who may have doubted us five years ago cannot deny that modern lifestyles are wasting the world.

And ordinary Scots are growing more and more concerned about the impact their actions are having - they are thinking about the implications of their flights; they are recycling more and more; and they are thinking about energy consumption. There might just be a tipping point in terms of public opinion.

Our research tells us that over 80% of Scots agree that they will have to start making changes to their lifestyles to ensure a better quality of life for future generations.

So, the will is there. Scottish families want to live in a more sustainable way. But it's hard. People's lives are busy, they have to take account of the size of the family's weekly shop and the distance to the store, they are concerned about children's safety and need to get to work, and it can by difficult to find the space for separating waste in Scottish tenements.

I believe that one job of government is to help Scottish families live the more sustainable lifestyle that they seek and we wish to see.

And in doing so it is perhaps time to think as much in terms of rewards and incentives as in terms of charges and bans.

I want to encourage everyone in Scotland - not just a few - to make the changes that will allow us to live within our environmental means.

I want everyone in Scotland - from big business to parents and children - to make a contribution to reducing climate change.

And, I want each and every person to look at their behaviour when at work, at home and at leisure to see where we can reduce our impact on the planet.

Our record

Let me turn now to the record of the Scottish Executive in my time as First Minister.

While there is a case to push further and faster, we have a solid platform on which to build.

Five years ago, I described our record on waste as 'appalling'. We recycled and composted just 6% of municipal waste. Now it's almost 25 per cent. A huge change in culture and behaviour that we need to praise more and build upon.

In clean energy, from less than 9 per cent in 2001 we are on course to meet our ambitious target of 40 per cent renewable energy generation by 2020, with a fourfold increase in non-hydro renewables. And, in the last three years alone, we've consented to over 1 Gigawatt of renewable generation - enough for half a million Scottish homes. In this area we lead the UK.

We have an ambitious Climate Change Programme for Scotland and official figures indicate that net Scottish greenhouse gas emissions fell by 12 per cent between 2001 and 2004.

We've invested as never before to improve our public transport. Public transport now accounts for more than 70 per cent of our total transport budget, and the result is that we are seeing a reduction in the number of car miles driven on Scotland's roads. Two years ago, there were 150 million fewer car miles driven on our roads - the first fall since the 1970s.

Five years ago, 65 million journeys by train. Last year, 75 million.

Five years ago, only 100 schools were involved in the eco-schools scheme. Now the number has risen to more than 2200.

Five years ago, only 85 per cent of bathing waters met European standards. Last year, all 63 designated waters met the standard - the first time since monitoring began.

Between 2000 and 2005, the length of poor and seriously polluted rivers in Scotland fell by 16 per cent to 776km.

Five years ago, we had no way to measure progress towards sustainable development. Now we've published a comprehensive sustainable development strategy - and put in place a detailed and public set of indicators to support it.

So as we near the end of this four-year parliamentary term, I believe that the environmental record of my time as First Minister is one I can be proud of.

Environmental justice

But my speech five years ago signalled an extra dimension to environmental policy, that of environmental justice. A recognition that there was a dimension of equality and fairness underlying environmental concern. That environment degradation impacts disproportionately upon the poor. Here too I want to set out our record.

When we ask the poorest communities what concerns them about their environment, the answers relate to anti-social behaviour. The most radical action we have taken in five years on environmental justice is the Anti-social Behaviour Act, addressing littering, vandalism, fly-tipping, noise nuisance, graffiti and abandoned vehicles. These are the immediate environmental concerns of the people in Scotland with the least chances and choices.

We've invested to improve the quality of life for local communities through the Community Regeneration Fund, providing funding for local initiatives that focus on young people and improve the local environment, and tackle vacant and derelict land.

We've invested in cleaning up contamination in 18 areas - and established a network of specialist prosecutors to bring justice to those who degrade our environment.

And there's more. Tighter controls on opencast. The National Waste Plan moving us away from landfill. Stricter controls on emissions from incinerators. Reductions in fuel poverty. The Scottish Quality Housing Standard. Strategic Environmental Assessment in primary legislation.

It is a record to be proud of.

And in a week or so we'll be inviting bids from communities for our Environmental Justice Fund.

Government is tough. It's not zero-sum - it's getting the best balance you can, while always moving forward - in the right direction.

But even where our actions have provoked fierce debate, I believe that a positive case can be made.

Sustainable development means just that - it doesn't mean no development. Our modernisation of the planning system will deliver real engagement with communities, early enough to make a difference.

And I believe that is a more effective empowerment than new appeals which would necessarily come after entrenched positions have been adopted.

And while a sustainable transport policy cannot mean either no roads or only roads, it must allow the positive choice to be made in favour of public transport.

Hard Questions

So, whatever way you look at it, we have a strong environmental record compared to five years ago.

Of course, we've not agreed on everything. We've got where we are partly because of the way we have been pushed and challenged on the issues that matter most.

But, sustainable development is about striking a balance - a balance between the needs of our economy, our society and our environment.

As First Minister, it's my job to move Scotland forward - and to make the tough choices that that can demand. To weigh up the issues and put the long term interests of the majority first. And I'll continue to do so.

For example. We've made great progress on the level of waste we recycle in Scotland, but we are continuing to generate waste and we cannot move to a zero waste situation overnight. I want to see reuse and recycling pushed to the maximum - but to suggest that there is no interim role for energy from waste, perhaps as part of decentralised energy schemes, is just not the real world.

Or on aviation. My politics are about giving people the opportunities that they and their families have never had before. So, a rhetoric that implies that foreign travel should be the preserve of the wealthy is a non-starter. The aeroplane cannot be uninvented. But we can and will continue to support international action on both emissions trading and air fuel subsidy, so that the choices made are economically fair ones. And in the meantime we can lead by example on the most damaging short routes.

I can't promise never to fly to London again - that would be impossible in this job. But I can promise to personally check that any flight I do take is essential, choose and arrange to take the train and use video conference more often - and to offset those I can't avoid.

Listen to the First Minister deliver his speech (mp3 file)

Five years ago, I said that 'Just as economic prosperity and social justice must go hand in hand. For the long term in Scotland, economic progress and environmental justice must go hand in hand too.' That remains the case.

I reject the idea that there cannot be sustainable economic growth. But to be sustainable, economic growth cannot be at any cost. That's why we have strong measures in place to protect our environment from damage.

This can be a win-win scenario.

As our businesses become cleaner and more resource efficient, so economic growth can go up while harmful emissions go down.

And, resource efficiency can benefit us all. An effective use of resources means less harm to our environment but also more success for business.

In fact, many of the business opportunities of the future will arise because of the commitment to sustainable development.

They will arise out of our firms taking an open and responsible approach to the fantastic natural resources that we have here in Scotland.

And, we don't need to look far to see how that might happen:

Eco-tourism is growing in value all the time. We now have the highest membership of Europe's largest eco tourism accreditation scheme - and, with eco-tourism set to grow 10-15% each year, Scotland is well placed to become one of the most sustainable tourism destinations in Europe - a vision set out by Patricia Ferguson right here only last Thursday.

We're at the forefront of developing high quality green jobs in exciting new industries that harness the natural power of our wind, our waves and our tides. It is expected that there will be 35,000 jobs in renewable energy in the UK by 2020 - and, I want to ensure that, with our potential, a high proportion of those jobs come to Scotland.

The challenge

I speak today as First Minister - my Party will make clear in due course its policy proposals for the election - but I do want to take this opportunity to comment on some 3 priority areas that I think are significant for the period ahead.

Firstly, it was necessary, five years ago, to make the case for the centrality of sustainable development and the relevance of environmental justice to it. Today, the central issue is climate change. We have a tough target to exceed our share of the UK target but I believe that is the right position to be in. This needs to be tackled through legislation, through energy policy, and through transport modes, but let me focus on just one area - the need for challenging targets for homes and buildings to tackle both climate change and fuel poverty.

Good quality housing is at the heart of our ambitions to deliver social justice for all .

And, since devolution, we've transformed the quality of housing in this country - from our cities and towns to the most remote crofting communities.

We've used guidance, investment and legislation to raise standards of design and sustainability in new buildings.

And we've made real progress on tackling fuel poverty by insulating more than 300,000 homes and providing central heating to more than 74,000 pensioners in need.

We're focusing on the technologies of the future too.

We're supporting individuals and communities to harness the power of micro-renewables in their homes.

But, we need to raise the bar and further increase the energy efficiency of Scottish housing, using the planning system, micro-generation, higher energy efficiency standards, building standards and local energy companies.

I am personally committed to seeing the Executive's Energy Efficiency Strategy appear in the next few weeks, the next step in making a reality of our climate change programme.

Secondly, there was a time when environmental concern was equated in the public mind with nature conservation. No longer. But that does not mean we should forget our responsibility towards Scotland's stunning natural environment, its fragile ecosystems and biodiversity - not least as climate change impacts on them too. So we will need new legislation and funding to protect and manage Scotland's seas, landscapes, wildlife and habitats. As an islander, brought up in one of the most stunning parts of the country, I know just how important it is for us to protect and conserve our fantastic natural habitats.

But as a Parliamentarian, I believe that statute should only be used when strictly necessary. You shouldn't measure commitment to an issue by a propensity to legislate.

We already have an ambitious programme for the protection and improvement of Scotland's environment and bio-diversity, putting in place the funding and the legalisation and building on an Act of the Scottish Parliament.

And we've balanced that protection with the need to ensure that people can enjoy just how much Scotland has to offer.

It is almost four years to the day since we ended the historic legacy of feudal law and gave people in Scotland the chance to gain responsible access to land and inland water.

People now have greater freedom to explore the countryside and more opportunity for outdoor activity. That can only be a good thing in helping us get our environmental message across.

The Trossachs and Cairngorms national parks have been a massive success too - and we're now working to develop Scotland's first ever Marine national park.

Looking forward, we are likely to need further legislation on the marine environment and we may need more statutory protection of biodiversity. But it is essential that we follow through the work already begun and have effective agencies and volunteer programmes that make a difference.

Personal responsibility

And thirdly, I said earlier that is the role of government to help people opt for more sustainable lifestyles. But ultimately, it is a question of individual choice and personal responsibility. Let me give three examples: food; travel; and waste.

In this Environment Week, the great, locally sourced food that can be found around Scotland will be highlighted. We've got a fantastic product - and I believe that it should be made available to more people around the country.

That's partly why we developed the Hungry for Success initiative in our schools.

Throughout Scotland, thousands of school pupils now receive high quality nutritious food. We have the best school dinners in the UK.

But, we know that just providing good food isn't enough.

We need to think about where that food has come from - and the distance it has travelled to get to our plates.

So, I'm encouraged by the example set by East Ayrshire, where children in school have been benefiting from locally produced food, learning more about where their food comes from and how they can reduce waste and the distance that food has travelled.

The next step is to see more of these initiatives in every part of Scotland - so that every youngster in the country eats well and eats responsibly.

And we need to look at green networks and green spaces, to ensure that there are safe cycling and walking networks to all our schools and towns.

This won't just bring benefits to the local environment - it will also improve people's health and their quality of life.

There are now School Travel co-ordinators in every local authority in Scotland, and there is a real momentum there to get more and more youngsters walking and using their bikes.

But barriers still remain. Too many parents and children aren't yet confident enough to move away from their reliance on the car.

So we will need to do even more in the months and years ahead.

And thirdly, while we have made real progress on recycling we are still a long way from those European Countries with the best record. In every part of Scotland it is possible to recycle more, at home and at work. And every local authority has a clear responsibility to take this forward.

Each of us, though, has a personal responsibility, and I hope that we can do more to encourage more Scots to accept that personal responsibility with enthusiasm in their home, and their workplace.

An in addition, all of us, public and private organisations who purchase goods and services, and individual consumers should demand proper reductions in the waste that is generated.

In conclusion, I want to say that, as First Minister, I have valued the input of environmental organisations as we build a national effort to tackle these important issues. But a dialogue in which NGOs pressure us from one side while business organisations pressure us from the other isn't enough. In fact, all the action in the world by government won't be enough. What's needed is a wider acceptance in society - leading to all of us changing the way we live and the choices we make.

I have used my time as First Minister to take tough decisions on population decline; sectarianism; and perhaps most of all the smoking ban. But the popularity of the smoking ban, combined with the dramatic shift we have seen in recycling and the attitudes I see developing in eco-schools, give me confidence that we can meet difficult challenges and change the way we live.

If smoking can be become socially unacceptable, then so can waste and excessive car use - and it can happen as the current generation of school students become adults.

So our collective challenge is to find ways to encourage people to take personal responsibility for the environment.

To help them see that there are alternatives to air travel.

That walking and cycling are realistic options.

That eating locally sourced food can be better for the environment, better for the local economy and better for their own pockets.

Helping people see these benefits won't be easy.

And, it will mean a lot of effort on all our parts.

But if we work together we can, and will, succeed.

By pushing toward the same goal, all working to protect and promote the same environment that we all love and enjoy - we can make Scotland an example for others to follow.

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You can listen to the First Minister deliver his speech (mp3 file)

More information is available on the Environment Topic page