Key Scottish Environment Statistics 2014

Overview

The environment is a key aspect to the success and well-being of Scotland, affecting human health, wildlife and economic success. As a compendia publication considering many aspects of the environment, Key Scottish Environment Statistics may be used to provide an overview of how the environment in Scotland is changing. Scotland's environment in general is in a good condition but there remain areas where environmental quality is poor. Some recent trends are highlighted below.

This year, Key Scottish Environment Statistics includes a page on the perceived immediacy of climate change; which is one of the low carbon attitude and behaviour-related indicators set out in 'Low Carbon Scotland: A Behaviours Framework'. In 2008, 57% of respondents thought that climate change was an immediate and urgent problem, compared with 46% in 2013 (pp 14).

During 2013, 46% of adults are estimated to have visited the outdoors one or more times per week compared with 42% in 2012 (pp 15).

Seven of the ten warmest years recorded in Scotland have all occurred in the 21st century. Annual mean temperatures from 2000 - 2009 were 0.9C higher than the 1961-1990 average, the highest for any decade since records began in 1910. The annual mean temperature in 2013 was 0.49C above the 1961-1990 average (pp 18). The average winter precipitation in the 1990s and 2000s was around 23% higher than the 1961-1990 baseline for winter precipitation, compared to the 1960s which was around 9% lower. In 2013, winter precipitation was 13% greater than the 1961-1990 baseline while summer precipitation was 17% below the baseline (pp 19).

Net greenhouse gas emissions (taking account of emissions and removals) in 2012 were estimated to be 52.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e), 0.8% (0.4 MtCO2e) higher than 2011 and 29.9% below 1990 levels (pp 20). When adjusted for trading in the EU Emissions Trading System, the 2012 figure is 0.3 MtCO2e higher than 2011, a 0.5% increase, and 26.4% lower than the 1990 baseline (pp 21). Between 2009 and 2010, Scotland's carbon footprint increased by 4% following a 19% fall in 2009. It remains below the peak in 2007 (pp 22).

Figures for air quality indicate that UK Air Quality Strategy (AQS) Objectives were not met at some Scottish sites. In relation to nitrogen dioxide, 14 of 70 automatic monitoring sites failed to meet an annual mean AQS objective in 2013, and 4 failed the hourly mean AQS objective (pp 28). Ground level ozone objectives were met at 5 of 8 sites in 2013 and the second stage AQS objective for annual mean PM₁₀ concentrations to be met by 2010 was not met at 15 of 59 Scottish sites (pp 27, 29). Between 1990 and 2011, there were reductions in Scottish emissions of PM₁₀ and nitrogen oxides by 58% and 65%, respectively. (pp 27, 28). Sulphur dioxide emissions from Large Combustion Plants decreased by 32% between 2012 and 2013, mainly as a result of the closure of Cockenzie Power Station (pp 30).

Around 60% of Scotland's land area contains habitats sensitive to acid deposition and 55% to eutrophication. The area of sensitive habitats in Scotland exceeding critical loads for acidification fell from 68% in 1995-1997 to 33% in 2010-2012 while over the same period nutrient nitrogen exceedance fell from 59% to 45% (pp 31).

Between 2004/05 and 2013/14, the amount of treated water produced fell by 554 Ml/d (22%) to a new low of 1,824 Ml/d. This decrease in treated water is almost entirely due to a reduction in leakage of 531 Ml/d (47%) to 608 Ml/d over the same period. There were similar reductions over this period in the amount of raw water abstracted by Scottish Water (pp 34). Drinking water quality and river water quality have both improved over time though there were small deteriorations in 2013 (pp 35, 36). The percentage of monitoring sites on rivers with a mean nitrate concentration at natural background levels (< 0.3 mg N/l) increased from 25% in 2000 to 33% in 2013 while over the same period the percentage of those with a mean nitrate concentration greater than 7.5 mg N/l decreased from 7% to less than 3% (pp 37). Between 2000 and 2013, the percentage of river monitoring sites with orthophosphate concentrations less than 30 μg P/l increased from 43% to 73% (pp 38).

In recent years, more identified bathing waters have met the mandatory standard required by the 1976 EC Bathing Water Directive. In 2013, all identified waters met the mandatory standard, and 59% met the more rigorous guideline standard (pp 40).

In 2010, the average annual dose of radiation to someone living in Scotland was 2,300 microsieverts, this has fallen from 2,400 microsieverts in 2003. At 81%, the majority of the annual dose comes from natural sources (pp 43)

In 2012, total waste sent to landfill decreased to 4.47 million tonnes, and has shown a long term decrease of 39% from 2005 (pp 46). In 2012, 41.2% of household waste was recycled or composted, up from 40.1% in 2011 (pp 47). Households reporting using local authority provided caddies to dispose of their food waste increased to 34% in 2013, up from 26% in 2012 (pp 48). The proportion of households reporting that they recycled a range of other waste items increased each year between 2003 and 2011 (pp 49).

Derelict and urban vacant land decreased slightly between 2007 and 2013 (pp 51). In 2013, nutrient application rates (nitrogen, phosphate and potash applied to crops and grass) were some 10% higher than in 2012, however rates remain below those applied before 2008. (pp 53). In 2014, 18.2% of the land was woodland, compared with 16.4% in 1995 (pp 54). The area of designated protected areas has shown an upward trend over the long term (pp 57).

Terrestrial breeding bird numbers increased by 15.5% between 1994 and 2012, but have seen a 10.1% reduction since 2008. Seabird abundance has continued to decline and was 54% lower in 2012 than at the 1991 peak. Wintering waterbird numbers have shown a 26% reduction from a peak in 1997 to 2011 (pp 64). The provisional reported rod catch (retained and released) for 2013 is 66,387 salmon. It is the lowest reported catch since 2003, and is 74% of the previous 5-year average (pp 65).