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Seòmar agus comataidhean

Declaration of a Nature Emergency

  • Submitted by: Mark Ruskell, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party.
  • Date lodged: Monday, 16 November 2020
  • Motion reference: S5M-23383
  • Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, 18 November 2020

Motions as amended

That the Parliament notes with grave concern the catastrophic collapse in biodiversity globally and in Scotland, with one in nine species threatened with extinction from Scotland, and calls for the continued treatment of climate change and biodiversity loss on a twin-crises basis as set out in the Scottish Government's Environment Strategy; believes that restoring nature should be a central component of recovery; welcomes therefore the Scottish Government's commitment to a green recovery that captures the opportunities of a just transition to net zero, creates good, green jobs and leaves no one behind; further welcomes the advice of the Just Transition Commission and others in this regard; recognises that 34% of Scotland's waters are already covered by MPAs, including the West of Scotland MPA, which is the largest in European waters and is accepted as 'internationally significant' by the Convention on Biological Diversity; further recognises that, while Scotland constitutes only 32% of UK land mass, it accounts for 54% of the UK's nature-specific protected areas; acknowledges the Scottish Government's multi-annual commitment of £250 million to restore peatland and commends NatureScot for its contribution to restoration via PeatlandACTION; commends the work of Professor Werritty and the Grouse Moor Management Review Group, and expects the Scottish Government's response to this imminently, and notes the Scottish Government's commitment to protect the marine environment and support sustainable growth in fishing and fish farming while maintaining the right balance across Scotland's economic, environmental and social responsibilities.


Supported by: Alison Johnstone

Vote

Result 87 for, 33 against, 2 abstained, 7 did not vote Vote Passed

Scottish National Party

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Scottish Labour

Scottish Green Party

Scottish Liberal Democrats

Independent

For
0
Against
0
Abstained
Did not vote

No Party Affiliation

For
0
Against
0
Abstained
0
Did not vote

Original motion text

That the Parliament notes with grave concern the catastrophic collapse in biodiversity globally and in Scotland, with one in nine species threatened with extinction from Scotland, and therefore declares a nature emergency; believes that restoring nature should be a central component of green economic recovery and future rural support, stimulating the economy and creating jobs; calls for urgent legislation to halt the loss of biodiversity and to enable nature to recover through a coherent national ecological network, including well-managed, protected sites in good condition comprising at least 30% of Scotland’s sea and land by 2030, a third of which should be fully protected; calls for an end to driven grouse moor management practices, large-scale peat extraction and damaging fishing practices in sensitive marine environments, and further calls on the Scottish Government to introduce a moratorium on salmon farm expansion until the concerns raised in the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee's 2018 report on salmon farming in Scotland are fully addressed.

Accepted amendments

Motion ref. S5M-23383.4

Declaration of a Nature Emergency - Amendment - Amendment

Submitted by: Roseanna Cunningham, Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, Scottish National Party, Date lodged: Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Supported by: Mairi Gougeon
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Result 85 for, 35 against, 1 abstained, 8 did not vote Vote Passed

Amendments that have not been voted on

Motion ref. S5M-23383.1

Declaration of a Nature Emergency - Amendment - Amendment

Submitted by: Liz Smith, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date lodged: Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Motion ref. S5M-23383.2

Declaration of a Nature Emergency - Amendment - Amendment

Submitted by: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date lodged: Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Motion ref. S5M-23383.3

Declaration of a Nature Emergency - Amendment - Amendment

Submitted by: Claudia Beamish, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date lodged: Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Supported by: Alex Rowley
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, November 18, 2020