Scotland’s natural world ‘in a dire state’
A new report reveals wildlife is in a perilous condition due to human activity, reports
SCOTLAND is languishing 28th from bottom in a global list of 240 countries and territories around the world for the amount of wildlife and wild places lost due to human activity, according to a new report.
The research from the Natural History Museum, in collaboration with wildlife conservation charity the RSPB, shows that Scotland is in the bottom 12 per cent in the Biodiversity Intactness Index (BII) – a global analysis on how much human activity has impacted nature.
The BII, used by key United Nations nature initiatives to assess nature around the world, is the latest in a growing body of evidence of the perilous state of nature in Scotland, and highlights the urgent need for action to halt and reverse declines in wildlife, and to protect nature and restore ecosystems.
Scotland has a BII of just 56% compared with 65% for France, 67% for Germany, 75% for Norway and 89% for Finland, which is among the best countries or territories worldwide for retaining its natural biodiversity.
Of the 27 EU member states, 23 (85%) rank higher than Scotland for biodiversity intactness.
In 2019, a coalition of nature conservation and scientific organisations, including the Scottish Government’s nature advisors Naturescot, published the State of Nature in Scotland report. It revealed
the ongoing loss of nature, finding that 49% of species had declined and one in nine species is at risk of extinction in Scotland.
When viewed alongside the BII, it is clear that nature in Scotland is in a perilous state, according to RSPB Scotland, who say wildlife and wild places have been continually damaged for many decades through human activity, with investment and action to protect and restore nature insufficient to halt the resulting declines in species.
The conservation charity says the new report is a “stark reminder of the
action needed to tackle the nature and climate emergency”.
It is now calling on all 129 newly elected MSPS to be ambitious and “restore nature for Scotland’s wildlife, climate and people”.
Aedan Smith, Head of Policy for RSPB Scotland, said: “The central message from the BII is inescapable: by this measure, nature in Scotland is more depleted than in 88% of the 240 other countries and territories studied across the world.
“When we combine that with the State of Nature finding that nature loss is continuing right now in Scotland, on
our watch, surely the wake-up call is too loud to ignore.
“Too much of our nature is in trouble – but we still have the staggering beauty of pinewoods and peatlands, eagles, dolphins, bumblebees, kelp, orchids, curlews and thousands of other precious species. We have so much to lose – and so much to regain.
“With new determination and creativity, we can restore nature in Scotland.
“This last incredibly difficult year has shown us how much we need nature. And now nature needs each and every member of the Scottish Parliament to commit to taking strong and lasting action to restore and protect it.”
The BII is designed to be a sensitive easily understood indicator that can be applied at a range of scales. Importantly, it reflects historical losses of nature and it allows for comparison between different areas and regions.
All four of the UK nations sit close to the bottom. England ranks seventh from the bottom; Northern Ireland 12th; Wales 16th; and Scotland 28th. They are all amongst the countries and territories whose biodiversity is most damaged out of the 240 studied.
RSPB Scotland is calling on the Scottish Parliament to bring in legislation and policies that will aid nature’s recovery rather than its destruction.
It wants 30% of Scotland’s land to be “protected for nature” by 2030 through new and existing nature sites, ensuring these places are well managed, monitored and sufficiently funded.
It also calls for a transformation of Scotland’s approach to a wide range of policy areas from farming to fishing to planning and development.
RSPB Scotland also wants MPS to set legally-binding targets for nature’s recovery, like there are currently for climate.
Smith added: “Scotland could lead the world in protecting nature but only if this new Scottish Parliament takes the opportunity to turn things around, creating a Scotland we can all be proud of.
“As each of the 129 MSPS start this new five-year term, we wish them all the very best.
“We have high hopes that they will be equal to the challenge and can set Scotland’s nature firmly on a road to recovery for all our sakes.”
Surely the wake-up call is too loud to ignore