Unconventional oil and gas: strategic environmental assessment - post adoption statement

4. How the Environmental Report has been taken into account

4.1.1 For the purposes of the assessment, the 2018 Environmental Report assesses the effects of unconventional oil and gas development avoided under the PPP, and compares this to the effects of the development of an industry on a ‘business as usual’ basis as represented by a ‘broad range of impact scenario’ based on the KPMG (2016^[10]) development scenarios of ‘a) central, b) low and c) high levels of exploration, appraisal and extraction of onshore unconventional oil and gas’, as well as to the development of a single theoretical pilot project^[11]. The 2018 Environmental Report concluded that the development of a UOG industry in Scotland has the potential for significant negative effects on the environment, even when taking account of existing regulation and consenting processes.  

4.1.2 The Report concluded that the effect of the PPP would be to avoid the environmental impacts associated with UOG industry in Scotland. Specifically, the 2018 Environmental Report concluded that there is potential for significant negative effects across the SEA topics areas of air, water quality, climatic factors, biodiversity, flora & fauna, cultural and archaeological heritage, landscapes & geodiversity, and population and human health. Several of these effects could combine to result in more significant effects on population and human health (for example as a consequence of cultural heritage, landscape, water, air and climatic impacts) and on biodiversity, flora and fauna (for example, as a consequence of air, water and climate impacts).

4.1.3 The SEA concluded that a single theoretical pilot project would have much lower environmental impacts, however the potential for significant effects would remain depending on the pilot’s location relative to sensitive communities, habitats, waterbodies or historic sites, while the risk of pollution associated with accidents or unplanned emissions would remain. There could also be significant population and human health effects as a result of physical health and safety risks.

4.1.4 Based on the evidence on impacts – including the potential for significant negative effects on the environment - and on a clear lack of social acceptability, the Scottish Government has adopted its finalised policy position of no support for the development of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland.