Environment Strategy: progress report - March 2024

1. Introduction

The UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 (‘the Continuity Act’)^[2] provides a statutory framework for the Environment Strategy. Section 47 of the Continuity Act requires the Scottish Ministers to prepare and publish an environmental policy strategy. The section places requirements on the content of this strategy and the process for its adoption. In addition, it requires that a report containing an explanation of progress towards preparation of the strategy should be submitted to the Parliament annually until it is completed.

The Scottish Government will meet the requirements of section 47 of the Continuity Act through further development of the Environment Strategy, building on the vision and outcomes^[3] that were published in February 2020.

In 2021, the Scottish Government published an initial monitoring framework for the Environment Strategy.^[4] This set out the initial selection of indicators that will be used to track progress towards the strategy outcomes, and plans for reporting progress. We also identified areas where further work will be undertaken to explore indicators as the monitoring framework is further developed. We have developed a website to show progress towards the strategy outcomes.^[5]

In 2022, we published the first update report to Parliament, as required by the Act. In that report, we set out some of the key policy areas that intersect with the strategy, and some of the main areas of progress.

The connections between the Environment Strategy and the Scottish Government’s vision for a wellbeing economy are strong. Under our wellbeing economy vision, we recognise that all economic activity should serve a purpose. It should be a means to meeting everyone’s basic needs and improving our collective health and wellbeing, so that all of Scotland’s people and places can thrive and prosper. That also means responsible stewardship of our natural environment to safeguard the wellbeing of both current and future generations, and to make a positive contribution internationally.

Our vision for Scotland is to transition to a wellbeing economy: that is, an economic system, within safe environmental limits, which serves and prioritises the collective wellbeing of current and future generations.

In 2023, we published a progress report that described our plans for the development of pathways for the achievement of the Environment Strategy’s outcomes. We set out how we would develop a solid evidence base and work with partners to develop new and effective policy ideas to help Scotland to achieve our ambitious targets.

In this third progress report, we will present the results of research that will form a major part of the evidence base for the strategy. This research will contribute to the development of policy for the outcomes for Scotland’s economy and society and our global footprint. This report will also set out how we shall bring the strategy to consultation and complete its development.