What should a new environment watchdog look like?
Scotland needs an environment watchdog with the independence, power, resources and expertise to enforce environmental protections and hold government to account.
The new body must replace and build upon the oversight and enforcement roles played by EU institutions, providing a fundamental democratic safeguard and giving the environment a strong voice at a time when it urgently needs to be heard.
We’re calling on the Scottish Government to create an independent Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, which would:
• ensure that environmental protections are being implemented and enforced correctly
• receive public complaints about failures to apply environmental law
• investigate potential breaches of environment law, and refer serious cases to the courts
For a detailed analysis of the need for an environment watchdog, read the report ‘Environmental Governance: effective approaches for Scotland post-Brexit’ by Professor Campbell Gemmell, commissioned by Scottish Environment LINK.
Read our summary of Professor Gemmell’s report.