Briefings

RSPB Scotland Parliamentary Briefing on the Scottish Government debate: 'Faster and further to secure Scotland's place as the green energy powerhouse of Europe'

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RSPB Scotland believes it is crucial that Scotland meets its climate change targets. Renewable energy has an essential role to play, and Scotland has considerable opportunities both on land and at sea. RSPB Scotland is working with the renewable energy industry and Scottish Government to help ensure that renewables are delivered in the right locations, avoiding sensitive habitats and species.

Solar Power

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The RSPB supports the use of renewable energy to reduce the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. This briefing summarises our position on all forms of solar energy, but focuses on the impacts of large photovoltaic arrays. It suggests ways to avoid, mitigate and enhance potential impacts on birds and other wildlife.

RSPB Scotland Parliamentary Briefing on the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee Debate

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The natural environment and rural land can help Scotland to meet its climate change targets but only if it is in good condition and well managed.

RSPB Scotland Parliamentary Briefing on the Scotland Bill 2010

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RSPB Scotland's position on the Scotand Bill 2010.

RSPB Scotland Briefing on Hunterston for the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee

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RSPB Scotland is extremely worried about proposals for a hugely polluting new coal plant at Hunterston which would cause permanent damage to around 30 hectares of a SSSI.

RSPB Scotland Parliamentary Briefing on the Scotland Bill Debate

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The RSPB concludes that constitutional arrangements in themselves do not necessarily affect the quality of environmental outcomes. Therefore we do not have constitutional preferences.

Scottish Challenge 2011-2015

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As political leaders grapple with the budget deficit, they must also strive to find ways to settle the ecological debt.

RSPB Scotland Parliamentary Briefing for action on Scotland's peatlands

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RSPB Scotland welcomes Rob Gibson MSP’s motion and member’s debate on Investing in the future of Scotland’s peatlands.

RSPB Parliamentary Briefing on Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill

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Stage 1 written evidence: RSPB Scotland welcomes the introduction of this Bill. It includes long-awaited and valuable reforms or modernisations. However, its lack of an overall vision or action on issues such as wildlife crime or biodiversity mean that the bill is also a missed opportunity.

RSPB Scotland Briefing on Lochwinnoch Wetlands

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Habitat improvements to Barr Loch and Aird Meadow: we are keen to improve the wildlife value of the reserve’s wetlands and create a system which functions in a more natural way, and we are proposing to undertake an exciting project to create additional wildlife habitat and an improved visitor experience at the reserve.

RSPB Scotland Parliamentary Briefing on Climate Change (Scotland) Act annual targets: carbon savings from peatland restoration

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Repairing damaged peatlands can deliver climate change benefits and help meet Scotland’s targets under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. We support the view that annual targets for 2010-2012 can be more ambitious than originally proposed if potential measures such as peatland restoration are taken into account.

Planning reform briefing

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Localism Bill and National Planning Framework briefing

The future of planning

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Before the election the Conservative Party published its proposals for the future of planning in England, many of which form the basis of the new Government's reform agenda. This briefing summarises our response to the main ideas: a national planning framework, third party rights of appeal, scrapping the regional tier, a presumption in favour of sustainable development, incentives and conservation credits.

RSPB Scotland parliamentary briefing for debate on Hill Tracks in the Scottish Uplands

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RSPB Scotland welcomes Peter Peacock MSP’s member’s debate on Hill Tracks in the Scottish Uplands. We believe such tracks are an increasing problem in our fragile upland areas, and have detrimental impacts on flood management, soils and biodiversity.