Yesterday in Parliament I opened and closed the Rural Affair, Climate Change and Environment committee debate on Biodiversity for Scottish Labour. A copy of the motion that was debated along with a link to my speech can be found at the end of this post. The debate gave the Parliament an opportunity to reflect on the submissions received by the Scottish Government consultation on the 2020 Challenge for Scotland’s biodiversity; we will hopefully also have a chance to debate the Government’s response.
Biodiversity has been on the political and global agenda since the Rio ‘Earth Summit’ in 1992. In April 2002, there was a commitment to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction in the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level. In addition, the Aichi Targets set by the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity called for a step change in efforts to halt the loss of biodiversity and to restore the essential services that a health natural environment provides. Scotland’s response to this is the 2004 Biodiversity Strategy It’s in Your Hands.
Therefore it is hugely disappointing that Scotland failed to meet the 2010 target, and that this was a global failure. The call to action in 1992 has not resulted in the halt to the loss of biodiversity and The In Your Hands strategy is in need of a redraft – but the failed 2010 target makes it more difficult to reach future targets and we need to redouble efforts if we are to meet the important 2020 targets.
Biodiversity can seem removed for people’s everyday life, irrelevant to a modern, technological age, something to enjoy recreationally but not really impacting on our lives. But the problems we faced in 1992 are relevant today more than ever. The international Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 which brings together the Aichi targets, recognises that a functioning ecosystem is “essential for human well-being. It provides for food security, human health, the provision of clean air and water, it contributes to local livelihoods, and economic development, and is essential for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, including poverty reduction.’ Biodiversity is as much about human well-being as it is about anything else. If we consider challenges facing communities in Scotland right now – flooding for example – healthy ecosystems can mitigate against the impact.
I was at the Making the Most of Landfill Tax event in Parliament this week, and from memory, it is 5% of the fund that goes to biodiversity project while almost half the fund goes to community assets. There is a need to capacity build, to improve community understanding of the opportunities there are for biodiversity projects, and for this to play a greater role in achieving the targets.
Marine biodiversity is another area of importance yet is an area which is sadly suffering decline in habitat and species. There is growing frustration over the lack of a network of Marine Protected Areas and the delay to publication of a Marine Plan. The latter is particularly frustrating as we all accept the need for a plan but, as we wait, marine development moves ahead, pre-empting its publication, and resulting in the plan having to fit around developments rather than be there to set out the strategic direction.
We do need to get on the front foot with marine planning – we all recognise the importance of the marine environment and we must make swift progress in bringing in the necessary protections. There will be developments – there is great potential in our seas – but it is crucial that we have the proper framework in place to accommodate fisheries, renewables, aquaculture without further eroding our marine biodiversity.
On marine issues, I would just like to raise the proposed closure of the University Marine Biological Station in Millport. I understand this is being proposed by the University of London in response to the capital challenges as well as the cut to teaching grant, but it is a facility used by Scottish universities and students working in marine and biodiversity fields and it is in a unique location, as well as recognising the contribution the station makes to marine science in Scotland. I would welcome the Scottish Government offering some leadership on this important resource.
Biodiversity is an area that needs championing – and we can make gains across all sectors from the simplest approach that adapts the immediate environment of a workplace or public place, to the more complex drivers which offer incentives to support biodiversity activity. It is an area that needs championing and we all have to role to play, from MSPs promoting the importance of our environment to the important role the Minister has to play in Government. I look forward to a refreshed Strategy which will provide a clear path to success.
Motion for Debate: S4M-05320 Rob Gibson on behalf of the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee: Biodiversity—That the Parliament notes that the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee will be examining the analysis of the responses to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the 2020 Challenge for Scotland’s Biodiversity as the government looks to update its current biodiversity strategy against a backdrop of a global failure to meet biodiversity targets set for 2010, the revised target to halt biodiversity loss by 2020 and the related Aichi targets.
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28862.aspx?r=7685&mode=html#iob_70189