This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Environmental Assessment Bill
03/03/2005
All public programmes will be "green proofed" under
legislation introduced to the Scottish Parliament
today.
The Environmental Assessment Bill aims to put Scotland
at the forefront of environmental protection by ensuring
that all public sector plans, strategies and programmes are
scrutinised for their environmental impact.
Environment Minister Ross Finnie said:
"This legislation puts Scotland ahead of Europe in the
protection we afford to the environment.
"Too often in the past major public projects have been
undertaken without proper consideration of their effect on
our environment. This Bill puts consideration of
environmental impacts at the start of the process.
"It gives the public a say in the preparation of all
major public plans that affect our lives.
"Environmental assessment underpins our commitment to
put sustainable development at the heart of public
policy."
Lloyd Austin, Chair, Scottish Environment LINK,
said:
"Scottish Environment LINK warmly welcomes the
introduction of this bill. Strategic Environmental
Assessment can only help decision makers avoid costly
environmental mistakes if the process for undertaking SEA
is managed effectively.
"We will work closely with the Executive and the
Parliament to ensure that this bill creates a robust
framework for all public bodies to use; in particular, we
will scrutinise the Bill carefully and make suggestions for
any improvements that may be appropriate.
"Thereafter, we will monitor the application of SEA by
public bodies to ensure the new legislation is delivering
on the Executive's good intentions."
Cllr Maureen Child, Vice Chair Scotland of the
Sustainable Development Commission, said:
"The Sustainable Development Commission (Scotland)
welcomes this pioneering legislation because it will enable
the Scottish Executive to place sustainable development
concerns at the very centre of public policy making."
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) provides a
systematic method of considering the significant
environmental effects on the environment of public sector
strategies, plans and programmes.
Through its consultation provisions the Bill proactively
seeks to increase effective public participation in public
sector decision making. It does this through its
requirements to notify and to consult with key
environmental agencies, Scottish Natural Heritage, Historic
Scotland and Scottish Environment Protectoin Agency and
with the public on the environmental assessments of the
strategies, plans and programmes subject to the Bill.
SEAs cover all aspects of the environment including:
biodiversity, population, human health, flora, fauna,
water, soil, air, climatic factors, material assets,
cultural heritage (including architectural and
archaeological heritage), and landscape.