The Environment Strategy for Scotland: Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA)

Conclusion

7. As a result of the evidence gathered and analysed against all UNCRC requirements, what is the potential overall impact of this proposal on children’s rights)?

Positive

8. If you have identified a positive impact on children’s rights, please describe below how the proposal will protect, respect, and fulfil children’s rights in Scotland.

Children and young people will benefit from the Strategy through greater access to green spaces and improved air quality, and through strengthening nature-based education to inspire care for nature and improve outcomes for children. As indicated above, the implementation of the Strategy will help to improve the physical and mental health of all children. Tackling air pollution and improving our resilience to climate change is also particularly important for safeguarding the health of children, who are disproportionately affected. The Strategy will also help children as they transition into adulthood, from an increase in green jobs which will help create fairer opportunities for training and employment.

The links between the Strategy and its positive impacts on the articles of UNCRC as stated above are drawn from the analysis of the evidence that has been gathered.

• The Environment Strategy will benefit all children and young people and will address areas of inequalities, especially socio-economic, race and disability. As highlighted above, improving air quality will benefit children with disabilities, children in more ethnically diverse backgrounds and children in lower socio-economic groups, as they will have greater access to green spaces. This will uphold Article 2 (non-discrimination).
• The Environment Strategy will improve children’s physical and mental health by improving air quality and increasing access to green spaces. The evidence indicates that children and young people with disabilities will benefit from the Environment Strategy through better health and wellbeing. Strengthening nature-based education will also help benefit children and young people’s health, wellbeing and educational attainment. This intends to positively impact articles 3, 6, 23, 24, 27 & 31.
• Strengthening nature-based education can help benefit children and young people’s health, wellbeing and educational attainment. This intends to positively impact articles 28 & 29.

9. If a negative impact has been identified please describe below. Is there a risk this could potentially amount to an incompatibility?

No negative impacts have been identified, however, the individual proposals that follow the publication of the Environment Strategy will be assessed for their impact on children and young people, and further CRWIAs (and other relevant impact assessments) will be carried out where appropriate. This will help prevent and mitigate against any unintended consequences from the proposals. It is important that children and young people’s views are also considered in the implementation of the priorities and proposals, and as part of the monitoring of the Environment Strategy.

10. As a result of the evidence gathered and analysed against all wellbeing indicators, will the proposal contribute to the wellbeing of children and young people in Scotland?

Safe: Likely positive impact

Healthy: Yes

Achieving: Yes

Nurtured: Yes

Active: Yes

Respected: Likely positive impact

Responsible: Likely positive impact

Included: Likely positive impact

As referenced above, the Environment Strategy will benefit all children and young people through improved air quality and increased access to clean, environmental spaces. These improvements will benefit children’s physical and mental health, while strengthening nature-based education will help benefit children’s health, wellbeing and educational attainment.

11. How will you communicate to children and young people the impact that the proposal will have on their rights?

This CRWIA has been published on gov.scot for those wishing to access it, and has, in so far as possible been written in accessible language for children and young people to understand its content and potential positive impact on their rights.