Environment Strategy for Scotland: strategic environmental assessment (SEA) post adoption statement

The reasons for choosing the content of the final Environment Strategy

Reasons for choosing the restrictions, as detailed, in the SEA Consultation

The Environment Strategy builds on the Environment Strategy’s vision and outcomes that were published in February 2020, following lengthy consultation with stakeholders. The development of the Environment Strategy has benefited from extensive stakeholder engagement and evidence gathering, including the public consultation and the SEA. To help inform the development of pathways for the outcomes on Scotland’s global environmental impact, society and economy, we also commissioned new research, supported by stakeholder working groups.

Following the publication of the Environmental Report, the Scottish Government facilitated an online public consultation exercise with both statutory consultees and the public on the draft Environment Strategy. The responses to the consultation generally welcomed the Environment Strategy and its vision and outcomes. However, there was a mixed response on whether the Strategy was ambitious enough and whether the timelines needed to achieve the outcomes and vision of the Strategy needed to be reduced. The final version of the Environment Strategy broadly follows the draft version that was considered in the SEA and in the consultation, except for the changes listed in the section above.

The adopted approach of the Environment Strategy sets out the holistic framework for delivering Scotland’s role in tackling the global crises of nature loss, climate change and pollution. The Environment Strategy also brings together our existing policy response to tackling these crises and builds on these by outlining new priorities and proposals.

Reasons for the rejection of a Business-as-Usual approach (where no Environment Strategy was published)

The reasonable alternatives in the SEA did not include consideration of a ‘do nothing’ (business-as-usual) approach, as the Strategy was placed on a statutory basis by the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 ('the Continuity Act'), with Section 47 requiring Scottish Ministers to prepare and publish an environmental policy strategy.

Reasons for the rejection of the “do more and sooner” Environment Strategy

The “do more and sooner” option would have been more ambitious than the Environment Strategy and would’ve aimed to meet the aims of the Strategy sooner than those set out in the final version of the Strategy. The Scottish Government does not believe it is feasible to deliver all of the actions in the ‘do more and sooner’ option due to challenges in implementation that would be required. These challenges include significant societal change and mechanisms to support action that are not yet established.

The Environment Strategy also brings together our existing policy response to tackling these crises and builds on these by outlining new priorities and proposals. It is therefore important that the final version of the Strategy reflects our existing policy response.