In June 2022, the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee agreed to scrutinise biodiversity policy and proposals for the Scottish Government's new national biodiversity strategy.
The strategy is the first substantive update of Scotland's biodiversity policy since 2013. It is intended to be the starting point of a process which will lead to the development of rolling delivery plans and, through the introduction of a Natural Environment Bill, statutory nature restoration targets.
In December 2022, Governments and stakeholders gathered in Montreal, Canada for the 15th UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15). At this summit, a new global framework was agreed for tackling the nature emergency. The Scottish Government formed part of the UK’s official delegation at COP15, at which it published a revised draft of its Biodiversity Strategy and said it will refine it further to embed new targets agreed.
As part of its scrutiny of biodiversity policy in Scotland, the Committee agreed to examine the outcomes of COP15 and how they relate to the Scottish context. The Committee has gathered evidence on this issue by hearing from a panel of Scottish and UK-based experts on biodiversity policy, and holding an evidence session with the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity.
Read the Convener's letter to the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, 29 September 2022 (252KB, pdf) posted 29 September 2022
Read the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity's response to the Convener, 1 November 2022 (352KB, pdf) posted 04 November 2022