Scottish Government legislative programme lacks imagination

Commenting on the announcement today (7 September 2011) of the Scottish Government’s legislative programme, Stan Blackley, Chief Executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said:

“While the documentation accompanying the legislative programme contains warm words on enabling the transition to a low carbon economy and action to achieve Scotland’s carbon emissions reduction targets, there seems to be little or nothing in the legislative programme actually aimed at achieving these things. We hope that the forthcoming spending review and draft budget will contain action and funding to drive activity that helps Scotland take forward action to tackle climate change.”

“We are disappointed not to see a sustainable procurement bill in the legislative programme, as was touted in the SNP manifesto at the last election, and there seems to be little new in the section of the documentation relating to ‘A Greener Scotland’.

“This is not a legislative programme that tackles the big important issues, but seems to us instead to just be tinkering around the edges. The legislative programme lacks imagination and the Scottish Government has missed an opportunity to build upon the good work of the last session of the Parliament.”

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact: Per Fischer, Press Office, Friends of the Earth Scotland
 t: 0131 243 2719

Notes to Editors

Renewing Scotland: The Government’s Programme for Scotland 2011-2012
www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/09/07110232/0

Friends of the Earth Scotland is * Scotland’s leading environmental campaigning organisation * An independent Scottish charity with a network of thousands of supporters and active local groups across Scotland * Part of the largest grassroots environmental network in the world, uniting over 2 million supporters, 77 national member groups, and some 5,000 local activist groups – covering every continent.
www.foe-scotland.org.uk