Protecting our natural environment

The negative impacts of climate change are already being felt. Without action now, mitigations will cost more in the longterm. There has been insufficient progress in recent years so Scottish Labour will develop a clear and realistic route map to hit our emission reduction milestones. We will:

• Create a national warm homes programme, with one-stop centres in communities to advise on new technologies, access to domestic solar, energy efficiency measures, financing, and trusted local installers to help support local jobs.
  
• Expand the use of community heat and power networks, working with local authorities, communities and local developers to identify potential areas and opportunities.
  
• Continue the electrification of Scotland’s railways, developing a fast intercity rail corridor with shorter journey times to encourage use of public transport and reduce car traffic.
  
• Support the expansion of renewable energy generation in Scotland, cutting decision times and supporting grid build through planning reforms, as well as increasing community ownership of renewable energy generation.
  
• Work with the aviation sector and heavy industry on the development of low carbon fuel, including SAF and hydrogen-based alternatives.

Recent years have seen degradation of Scotland’s key habitats and biodiversity. By working in partnership, we can ensure that our economic ambitions go hand-in-hand with efforts to protect Scotland’s landscapes and reach net zero. To restore Scotland’s land for the benefit and enjoyment of all we will:

• Set clear nature targets, using the powers from the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act to outline a route to nature restoration.
  
• Prioritise the introduction of a new Marine Plan with a spatial, as opposed to sector-specific, approach so there is clarity for offshore wind, fisheries and coastal communities on their roles and responsibilities in Scottish waters.
  
• Establish a Marine Recovery Fund, funded through developer contributions, to deliver strategic marine and nature recovery, while exploring an equivalent onshore model and consolidating multiple funding streams for greatest impact.
  
• Work in partnership to deliver sustainable deer management, continuing incentive pilots and supporting community initiatives to supply venison to local markets.
  
• Reward farmers for nature-friendly practices, incentivising nature restoration and recognising the environmental contributions already made by Scotland’s farmers and crofters through our modernisation of agriculture support payments.
  
• Support sustainable and data-informed fisheries, rolling out remote electronic monitoring and consulting on inshore marine management to protect fish stocks and marine environments.
  
• Take a mixed seed approach to tree planting, encouraging diverse woodlands, expanding native woodlands annually and balancing the needs of the timber industry to get the right trees in the right places.

Scottish Labour have a proud track record of delivering progress on animal welfare and have consistently supported protections for all species. Scotland may have some of the highest animal welfare standards, but we cannot rest on our laurels. Scottish Labour will act to protect animals in Scotland by:

• Introducing compulsory microchipping of cats, to ensure that lost or stolen cats can be reunited with their owners and prevent needless rehoming.
  
• Reviewing and consolidating wildlife legislation, to strengthen and clarify wildlife and animal protection laws, reflecting the changes and developments made in the 20 years since Scottish Labour’s Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.
  
• Banning the use of shock collars, making clear that their use is illegal for training dogs and pets.
  
• Developing a list of “permitted species” that can be kept as pets, working to reduce the keeping of exotic animals in unsuitable domestic conditions.
  
• Working in partnership with farmers to improve animal welfare, with a strategy to target rural veterinary shortages and phase out the use of farrowing crates.

When it comes to climate change everyone has a role to play, but that also means that government and business must step up to enable change. Scottish Labour will build a more circular economy and help everyone to play their part in making Scotland a greener and healthier place to live by:

• Working with local authorities to improve recycling rates and reuse facilities, learning from the best practice and ensuring more recycling is processed in Scotland, not shipped elsewhere.
  
• Tackling littering and waste from drinks’ containers, rolling out the deposit return scheme and introducing a small charge for single-use takeaway cups.
  
• Reducing the destruction of unsold goods, helping businesses to partner with local charities and distribution services like Multibank so goods help those in need.
  
• Raising awareness of wildfire prevention, with public information campaigns and supporting education on environmental change in schools.
  
• Reviewing the roles and remit of nature and environment agencies, to reduce duplication and unnecessary bureaucracy so that funding and policy development is focused on protecting Scotland’s natural resources for the benefit of all.

Scotland is a water rich country, but we need to make sure supplies remain resilient into the future. Although Scottish Water is a publicly owned company, it isn’t delivering for Scots as it should. Scottish Labour will end the creeping privatisation, and protect the availability and quality of Scotland’s water by:

• Returning Scottish Water to public service values, restricting executive bonuses, prioritising in-house delivery, improving accountability to Parliament and taking a more constructive approach to industrial relations.
  
• Preventing above-inflation hikes to household water bills, while Scottish Water generates multi-million surpluses.
  
• Increasing monitoring of sewage overflows as a priority, boosting coverage to match levels elsewhere in the UK and improving transparency by making real-time data available to the public.
  
• Protecting water sports participants, expanding testing at water sports sites, reviewing the pollutants monitored and ensuring regulators hold polluters to account.
  
• Commissioning a water scarcity plan, ensuring Scotland’s water needs and use are managed strategically and future proofed.
  
• Promoting nature-based mitigations which restore freshwater habitats and reduce the impact of flooding.