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A Flying Start: Local Biodiversity Action Plans in Scotland
The SBG have been challenged by the Scottish Ministers to:
- find ways to build biodiversity into policy across the range;
- make biodiversity relevant to people; and
- move from planning to action.
In response the SBG have drawn up a programme of action around ten key points
(see box). This will be the basis of work in the future and LBAPs will be integral
to delivering across all of these. The group will be drawing up a more detailed
strategy around this framework in the next few months. As part of this process,
a review of the group's work to date has been commissioned and will be reported
to the Scottish Parliament. This will help to identify the strengths and weaknesses
that exist to date, and will help SBG to draw up a more detailed work programme
around these priorities. The LBAP process has already started to deliver many of these priorities. Much
of their work helps to emphasise the link between biodiversity and sustainability.
One of the greatest achievements of the LBAP partnerships has been the effective
integration of biodiversity in local authority policies, but this remains a
major priority; more needs to be done to persuade local authorities to audit
the biodiversity impact of their supply chain and of their energy and transport
use, and to involve councillors more fully in all these initiatives. The development
of national and local biodiversity indicators will involve a central role for
LBAPs in both development and monitoring. LBAPs have the potential to make biodiversity real to people, and they have
a major role in this area. They offer opportunities to involve individuals,
communities and organisations in many different ways. National support will
be essential to add momentum to what is being achieved locally and give an identity
and profile to biodiversity work across Scotland. Finally we are already seeing LBAPs moving from planning to action, that is
a theme throughout this report. The local action and commitment of many organisations
and individuals has been key to this. SBG will continue to support this effort
particularly seeking to secure longer term funding for the LBAP process and
improving methods of monitoring and reporting biodiversity improvements. The Scottish Biodiversity Group aims to build on this flying start and seek
innovative ways of delivering benefits for biodiversity.
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BIODIVERSITY AND THE FUTURE: THE SBG's 10-POINT ACTION PROGRAMME
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(1) View Scotland's biodiversity as a measure of sustainable development,
and set it alongside sustainable development policies as an additional
element of the WET (Waste-Energy-Transport) agenda. (2) Embed biodiversity into departmental, agency and local government
policies, through checklists or other tools. Biodiversity as a primary resource (3) Endorse further work on sustainable use of the biodiversity resource,
as part of the SBG work programme. (4) Endorse the development of indicators of biodiversity specific
to Scotland. (5) Agree that the obligations of the Convention on Biological Diversity
and the UK Biodiversity Action Plan should be better integrated into Scottish
public sector activity. Promoting local biodiversity action (6) Develop closer links to work on sustainable development at a local
level through Local Agenda 21 strategies and the Community Planning process.
(7) Target local businesses communities with a view to action for
biodiversity. Promoting understanding (8) Endorse current priorities in the promotion of biodiversity. (9) Endorse the SBG One Hundred Actions for Biodiversity initiative
aimed at increasing understanding and enjoyment of biodiversity at all
levels. (10) Endorse the development of further guidance on making biodiversity
relevant to all.
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