TARGET | QUESTION | OUTCOME |
TARGET 1: View Scotland's biodiversity as a measure of sustainable development | Is biodiversity central to sustainable development policies in Scotland? Has it become more central? | Biodiversity has become more important, but there is potential to make biodiversity a more central part of sustainable development policy in Scotland. This would help at a strategic level (via the integration of rural policies) as well as at a practical level (for the measurement of indicators). |
TARGET 2: Embed biodiversity into government policies and organisational strategies | Did Scottish Policies take the biodiversity agenda on-board during the last five years? Is biodiversity embedded into other government policies, and in local, private sector and NGO policies? | Biodiversity is gradually being incorporated into policies across Scotland, but tends to be most integrated at local and project levels. Enhanced 'ownership' of the Biodiversity Process by government organisations would enable more officers to play their part in local biodiversity action. Biodiversity needs to be at the heart of government, and there remains great potential for biodiversity to be integrated further into national policies, and for LBAPs and BAPs to provide guidance for all types of land and water management. |
TARGET 3: Bring together all relevant sectors and parties to work in partnerships | Is the biodiversity process bringing people together in partnership? | The Biodiversity Process is bringing people together in partnership. The SBG awaits the next stage in its evolution towards more independence from SEERAD, a stronger and broader partnership, and a longer term strategy or guiding principles. There is a need for better co-ordination between the national process (driven carefully by scientific and international concerns) and the local process (accelerated by local expertise and enthusiasm). Local groups throughout Scotland will continue to require support and guidance if they are to encourage focused biodiversity awareness and action. Biodiversity action has been carried out by professionals and volunteers, in partnership, in all the regions of Scotland. They should be publicly applauded for the energy and effort that has resulted in such a resounding success for the local Biodiversity Process. |
TARGET 4: Ensure the partnerships are co-operating and communicating effectively | Are the partnerships co-operating and communicating effectively? | The partnerships are not communicating as effectively as they should. There is opportunity to improve communications between Lead Partners and LBAPs, and between LBAPs and the SBG, by sharing more information with a wider number of people. The LBAPs are effectively the brokers, the delivery mechanism for biodiversity, thus it seems particularly important that such communications are improved. There is also room for improvement in local involvement, for example, for LBAPs to get more involved with the business and farming community. |
TARGET 5: Provide an appropriate administrative / financial structure to co-ordinate and implement action. | Is there enough administrative and financial back-up? | At present there is insufficient administrative and financial back-up for the Biodiversity Process. This is to some extent due to its rapid growth. More support, perhaps through Scottish Natural Heritage, would be helpful.. |
TARGET 6: Share the benefits of using genetic resources | Is Scotland playing its part in sharing the benefits of its genetic resources? Are Scotland's biodiversity research activities in developing countries carried out with the agreement of those countries, allowing them a share of the benefits? | Little is known about whether Scotland is playing its part in terms of its genetic resources, although some work has now begun within Scotland. It is recommended that further research be carried out to investigate Scotland's biodiversity footprint abroad in terms of prospecting for biodiversity genetics. Companies involved in this area should be linked in some way to the SBG. Formal guidelines covering bio-prospecting and international biodiversity research may need to be introduced, perhaps in association with other UK countries, to guide Research Councils, other research funders and companies involved in bio-prospecting |
TARGET 7: Use biodiversity resources sustainably | Has Scotland's use of biodiversity become more sustainable? | It is not clear whether Scotland has made any progress towards a more sustainable use of biodiversity. Farming, forestry and fishing are key, and sustainable natural resource use policies are critical to achieving BAP targets. Of these, sustainable marine resource management is probably the most pressing concern at present. |
TARGET 8: Identify, protect and monitor the world-status habitats in Scotland. | Has Scotland done enough to protect and monitor its internationally important biodiversity? | Scotland has identified its world status habitats, and is in the process of strengthening its designation system for them. Further imaginative solutions should be considered. |
TARGET 9: Refine or stop development that would have impacted badly on habitat | Has Scotland stopped / refined new development that would have impacted on biodiversity? | Scotland is beginning to question the need for new developments that could adversely affect biodiversity. NGOs and the public often react faster than the public sector. There is potential to include specific biodiversity considerations in the guidelines for environmental assessment of new developments |
TARGET 10: Slow, stop or reverse biodiversity losses; implement measures to contribute directly to species diversity conservation. | Has Scotland stopped or slowed biodiversity losses? What measures has Scotland taken to contribute directly to species conservation? | Scotland may be beginning to slow biodiversity losses, but the process is too young to see clear results yet. The most easily affected species and habitats were being addressed first. Measures used include targeted policies, work plans, and projects, each aimed at particular species or habitats. |
TARGET 11: Develop and implement the UK Biodiversity Action Plan | How successfully has Scotland implemented the UK Biodiversity Action Plan? | Analysis of the Biodiversity Action Plans shows that Scotland is at the very start of the Biodiversity Process. For every one species on the road to recovery, another five are declining. Progress has been made on research into some rare species, and there are signs of recovery for about as many habitats for which there are signs of decline. However, the most significant result is that there are insufficient data to know whether the majority of Scotland's rare habitats and species are declining or recovering. |
TARGET 12: Develop and implement Local Biodiversity Action Plans | How successfully has Scotland initiated the LBAPs? | The Local Biodiversity Action Plan process has started extremely well in Scotland, and the emphasis must now be on allowing it to grow and produce results. This may involve increased political recognition and support for local biodiversity, ring-fenced funds for biodiversity officer posts, stronger partnerships for the pooling of funds, and improved co-ordination between SBG and local biodiversity partnerships. |
TARGET 13: Turn the plans into action | How do the Action Plans (LBAPs, HAPs and SAPs) become action? | The biodiversity plans become action as a result of a combination of national policy and local awareness and due to the effort of many people throughout Scotland. The Biodiversity Process provides the framework for concerted action. |
TARGET 14: Biodiversity beyond the Biodiversity Action Plans | Has Scotland done enough by implementing the Biodiversity Action Plans? Is Scotland already doing more than required? | Scotland is not yet doing all that is required by the UK Biodiversity Action Plans, but is on track. Scotland already does more than the Plans require because the UK's broad approach to nature conservation includes landscape, geology, and physical (as well as biological) processes. Implementation of the UK Biodiversity Action Plans may be facilitated by the introduction of the European Commission Biodiversity Action Plans. |
TARGET 15: Increase awareness of and involvement in biodiversity conservation across all sectors of the public | Are people in Scotland aware enough about biodiversity? | People are becoming more aware, and the term 'biodiversity' is now becoming well recognised. Awareness raising can be effectively achieved under a partnership approach. There may be a further role for the Scottish Education Department and for an enhanced media presence. |
TARGET 16: Advise those whose activities have a direct influence on biodiversity | What advice provision is there to promote biodiversity, who is providing it, and is it reaching the right people? Are businesses aware of and engaged in the Biodiversity Process? | More could be done to engage the business community with biodiversity, to help fund BAPs as well as local projects, perhaps via professional fund raisers. There is potential for involvement by the Scottish Tourist Board (VisitScotland) and the Scottish Enterprise Network, and in the provision of biodiversity advice to business and fishing communities. Publicly funded environmental and sustainability audits could involve a biodiversity perspective. Independent consultants could be engaged to directly approach some of the main companies in Scotland to address corporate receptivity to biodiversity and help integrate biodiversity principles into company management. |
TARGET 17: Carry out research to inform the Biodiversity Process | Is the research community engaged in biodiversity research, and has enough been done? | Scotland needs to continue its research programme into nature conservation and the basic ecology of its wild species. More focus on marine biodiversity would be welcome, and members of the SBG may wish to commission work to put an estimated value on natural ecosystem services in Scotland. The biodiversity research needs as outlined in the HAPs and SAPs should be collated and analysed as part of a strategic approach to biodiversity research. |
TARGET 18: Monitor species and habitats to inform the Biodiversity Process | Are effective systems in place to monitor species and habitats, and to provide the required information on their status? | Monitoring frameworks and databases are being pioneered as part of the National Biodiversity Network. Local Records Centres are at various stages of development, and look set to become integral to the National Biodiversity Network. Continued support will be required for Local Records Centres, and it is not yet clear whether there is sufficient resource to undertake all the required field surveys. Biodiversity data have potential uses as indicators of sustainability. |
TARGET 19: Develop a biodiversity information system that links national and local records | Are biodiversity maps and data readily available to those who need it? | General biodiversity data are already available on-line, specific data are becoming available to government departments, and should soon be available to LBAPs. Composite maps are not yet available. Continued support will be required for Local Records Centres, national networks and executive information systems for set-up and to maximise compatibility. |
TARGET 20: Ensure the Biodiversity Process makes a difference | Has the Biodiversity Process made a difference in Scotland compared with what was happening before? Has the SBG's focus, work and progress over the last five years produced results? | The Biodiversity Process has made a difference to the way things are done in Scotland, but it has not yet had time to deliver better biodiversity. However, the Biodiversity Process provides huge potential for a widespread, effective, inclusive and integrated approach to nature conservation. |