239 results
-
Duty of care: code of practice for managing controlled waste
Your response to this consultation should be informed by the draft updated duty of care code of practice for managing controlled waste and we recommend that you review this before responding. We welcome answers to this consultation from all affected stakeholders. We recommend that you only respond to the sections which outline your obligations. However, you may be obligated under multiple sections and you should refer to the draft code to confirm your obligations. Any general... MoreClosed 5 February 2026 -
Delivering Scotland’s air departure tax
The Air Departure Tax (Scotland) Act was passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2017. However, the implementation of Air Departure Tax (ADT) has been deferred since then due to concerns over whether the current Highlands and Islands exemption within Air Passenger Duty (APD) complies with the UK Government’s Subsidy Control regime (and previously EU State Aid). The 2026-27 Scottish Budget announced that ADT will become operational in Scotland on 1 April 2027 following the development of... MoreOpened 29 January 2026 -
Draft Climate Change Plan
This draft Climate Change Plan includes the policies and proposals that Scotland needs to end our contribution to increasing global emissions and deliver real benefits for people across Scotland – warmer homes, better air quality, and the health benefits of active travel – to support people in our communities to live longer, healthier, more fulfilling lives. We invite you to share your views on the Plan by responding to this consultation. You’re welcome to contribute as an... MoreClosed 29 January 2026 -
Draft Infrastructure Strategy 2027-2037
The Scottish Government wants Scotland's infrastructure to be planned and delivered in a way that supports net zero and environmental sustainability, inclusive economic growth and resilient and sustainable places. Our ambition is to create a system that makes best use of existing assets, embraces innovation, and ensures investment decisions deliver long-term public value. Why this matters Infrastructure underpins the services and systems we all rely on, transport, health,... MoreOpened 13 January 2026 -
Draft Circular Economy Strategy
The Scottish Government is committed to moving from a linear “take, make and dispose” economic model to a circular economy where materials and goods are valued and kept in use for as long as possible. This draft circular economy strategy sets out the rationale and benefits of a more circular economy within the wider economic framework and describes our overall vision to 2045 and the outcomes that we are working towards. Read the consultation paper . The... MoreClosed 13 January 2026 -
Environmental Standards Scotland - updated Strategy 2026-2031
Environmental Standard Scotland (ESS) is an independent public body, established by the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 (the Continuity Act). ESS monitors compliance with, and the effectiveness of, environmental law in Scotland. Our role is to hold public authorities to account to improve the quality of the environment in Scotland and help achieve the highest environmental standards. ESS’ Strategy sets out how we will work to... MoreClosed 9 January 2026 -
Water services: investing in and paying from 2027
Scottish Water supplies clean water to 97% of households and businesses in Scotland and provides wastewater services to 93%. Scottish Water is a public corporation accountable to the Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Parliament. It is regulated to ensure services are efficient, meet mandatory standards and operate in an environmentally sustainable way. Customers fund these services and ongoing investment through charges collected alongside council tax. Plans for water and... MoreOpened 6 January 2026 -
Agglomerations Noise Action Plan for Scotland
An Agglomerations Noise Action Plan is required, by The Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (“the 2006 Regulations”), to be produced on a five yearly cycle, based on the results of the strategic noise maps. The 2006 Regulations requires the Scottish Government to bring about measures which are intended to avoid, prevent, or reduce, on a prioritised area basis, the harmful effects, including annoyance due to the exposure to environmental noise. This... MoreClosed 31 December 2025 -
Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction: Implementing Part IV
This is a consultation regarding implementation of Part IV of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement concerning Environmental Impact Assessments in the high seas. The Scottish Government is looking for evidence on potential activities taking place in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) known as the high seas (beyond 200 nautical miles) and is seeking views on proposed amendments to the marine licensing regime under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010... MoreClosed 19 December 2025 -
Proposed amendment to the Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006
The Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (“the 2006 Regulations”) require the Scottish Government and some airport operators to meet a number of statutory requirements to bring about measures which are intended to avoid, prevent, or reduce, on a prioritised area basis, the harmful effects, including annoyance, due to the exposure to environmental noise. This public consultation applies to Scotland only and seeks the views of those interested in environmental noise pollution. ... MoreOpened 3 December 2025 -
Forestry and Land Scotland Draft Corporate Strategic Plan 2026 - 2030
Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for managing Scotland's national forests and land. We are launching a public consultation on our next Corporate Strategic Plan which sets out the proposed direction of travel and priorities for our organisation . The consultation paper contains full background information for this consultation. You may find it useful to read or refer to while responding. Read the consultation... MoreClosed 21 November 2025 -
Scotland's Census 2031 - Topics
The National Records of Scotland (NRS), on behalf of the Registrar General for Scotland, is responsible for conducting Scotland’s census. These statistics are of national strategic importance and bring a wide range of benefits to Scotland. Census statistics provide an accurate picture of Scotland’s population including its size, distribution, and demographics. Our statistics inform policy making, enabling government agencies to make decisions regarding funding for services... MoreClosed 11 November 2025 -
Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Research Strategy 2027-32
The Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture (ENRA) Research programme is a multidisciplinary portfolio of research. It is structured in five-year cycles to enable long term strategic research and provide clarity on research priorities and programme structure. This is a draft version of the 2027-32 ENRA Research Strategy for public consultation. The programme covers a broad range of issues critical to Scotland's environmental and agricultural futures including: ... MoreClosed 24 October 2025 -
Draft Marine and Coastal Restoration Plan
This consultation is on the draft Marine and Coastal Restoration Plan, the first plan of its kind in Scotland with a dedicated focus on the marine and coastal environment. The plan will work to address the growing pressures on our marine environment and set out how we intend to accelerate marine restoration in Scotland, including identifying actions to help prioritise habitats and locations suitable for restoration. Accelerating active restoration in Scotland’s marine... MoreClosed 19 October 2025 -
Nitrate Vulnerable Zones Action Programme review
We invite stakeholders to respond to our review of the Action Programme for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (Scotland) Regulations 2008. We are reviewing the measures in the current Nitrate Vulnerable Zones Action Programme to evaluate whether they remain sufficient to achieve the aims of the Nitrates Directive. The review considers the latest scientific research and new evidence affecting Action Programme measures - taking account of the variation in agricultural, soil and climatic... MoreClosed 13 October 2025 -
Supporting Scotland's Transition - Land use and Agriculture
Between now and 2045 Scotland is aiming to transition to a Net Zero economy. Just transition is how we get to this net zero and climate resilient economy in a way that delivers fairness and tackles inequality and injustice. Land use and agriculture has a vital role to play in achieving that ambition. Alongside other sectors, it has been tasked with reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. Unlike other sectors, land use and agriculture has been asked to work on behalf of all of... MoreClosed 5 October 2025 -
Community right to buy: review
The Community Right to Buy, introduced in Scotland in 2003, has empowered rural, urban, and crofting communities to acquire land and assets. The Scottish Government is consulting as part of a review aimed at simplifying the process and exploring improvements. The Scottish Government committed to a public consultation on Community Rights to Buy in the Programme for Government 2024 to 2025 . Through this consultation, the Scottish Government wants to understand how these... MoreClosed 5 October 2025 -
Scotland’s Fourth Land Use Strategy
We are seeking your views on our proposed approach to the next Land Use Strategy (LUS). The proposals are set out in our consultation paper which you should read before answering the questions. The LUS is a document that sets out our strategic direction and vision for sustainable land use in Scotland, and the objectives, policies and actions that will help deliver it. The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 requires Scottish Ministers, by law, to produce a Land Use Strategy every five... MoreClosed 5 October 2025 -
Scottish Marine Recovery Fund
Delivering Scotland’s offshore wind ambitions is critical to addressing the climate and nature crises, and to realising the significant economic opportunities of Scotland’s path to net zero. There is an ambitious pipeline of offshore wind projects in Scotland, with a current reported potential pipeline of over 40GW of offshore wind projects on top of our existing operational capacity. To maximise the delivery of offshore wind in Scotland and fulfil our environmental... MoreClosed 30 September 2025 -
A review of Scotland's shellfish water protected area designations
This consultation is on the on the proposed designations and de-designations of Shellfish Water Protected Area’s (SWPAs), as part of work to meet a statutory obligation. SWPAs are designated zones aimed at safeguarding shellfish waters from pollution, ensuring the sustainable development of economically significant shellfish production. The purpose of the review is to identify areas where it may be appropriate to designate a new SWPA or de-designate... MoreClosed 29 September 2025 -
Draft Environment Strategy
The draft Environment Strategy sets out a holistic framework for delivering Scotland’s role in tackling the global crises of nature loss, climate change and pollution. It brings together the Scottish Government’s existing policy response, highlighting the importance of carefully managing synergies and trade-offs. It builds on these existing policies by outlining new priorities and proposals. These focus, in particular, on opportunities for supporting the economic and societal changes... MoreClosed 29 September 2025 -
Strategic Compensation Policy for Offshore Wind
The Strategic Compensation Policy for Offshore Wind sets out Scotland’s proposed policy for Habitats Regulations reform for offshore wind. Enabled by the UK Energy Act 2023, the policy proposes to amend the Habitats Regulations for offshore wind to enable a more flexible and pragmatic approach to environmental compensation. The proposals aim to provide new opportunities for investment to conserve Scotland’s marine environment by enabling a more flexible approach to the requirements for... MoreClosed 1 September 2025 -
Private Rented Sector (PRS) Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES)
This consultation seeks views on the Scottish Government's proposals to introduce Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) regulations in the domestic Private Rented Sector (PRS) using existing powers within in the Energy Act 2011. Improving the energy efficiency of buildings has been a priority for Scottish Ministers for over a decade, with draft Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) (Scotland) Regulations consulted on in 2019 and then laid before Scottish Parliament... MoreClosed 29 August 2025 -
Environmental Standards Scotland Strategy 2026-2031
Environmental Standard Scotland (ESS) is an independent public body, established by the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021. ESS monitors compliance with, and the effectiveness of, environmental law in Scotland. Our role is to hold public authorities to account to improve the quality of the environment in Scotland and help achieve the highest environmental standards. This consultation is seeking views and comments on ESS’ draft Strategy... MoreClosed 29 August 2025 -
Heat and Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment (HEETSA) - Scoping Consultation
The purpose of this Scoping Consultation is to set out the Scottish Government’s initial proposals for the scope of a Heat and Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment ( HEETSA) and seek stakeholder views on the overall concept of HEETSA and how it relates to other parts of the heat and energy efficiency retrofit landscape. The Scottish Government’s objective in making these initial proposals is to safeguard consumers by developing a technical suitability... MoreClosed 29 August 2025 -
Draft Updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy
Sectoral Marine Planning provides a framework for the sustainable development of offshore wind energy in Scotland’s marine environment. The draft updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy (SMP-OWE) sets out an integrated planning framework for both the ScotWind and INTOG leasing rounds alongside consideration of additional capacity for test and demonstration (T&D) projects. It has been informed by the latest scientific evidence and sets out the opportunities as well... MoreClosed 22 August 2025 -
Pathway Action Plans for Invasive Non-native Species
We want your views on five Pathway Action Plans to reduce the risk of invasive non-native species spreading in Great Britain. What the plans cover The plans focus on stopping invasive species from spreading through: recreational boating and angling - preventing species moving between waterways horticulture - stopping invasive garden plants and soil contaminants spreading zoos - preventing animals escaping from zoos or wildlife parks pets - stopping released or... MoreClosed 18 August 2025 -
Update to the 2020 Offshore Wind Policy Statement: Scotland’s Offshore Wind ambition
The outlook for offshore wind in Scotland has changed since the original Offshore Wind Policy Statement was published in 2020, which outlined an ambition that Scotland's 2GW of operational and under construction offshore wind capacity at the time could grow to between 8GW and 11GW by 2030. Since then, there has been a significant increase in the number of potential offshore wind developments due to the ScotWind and the Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leasing rounds. ... MoreClosed 13 August 2025 -
Developing an ecosystem restoration code for Scotland
In the 2024 Natural Capital Market Framework, the Scottish Government (SG) committed to supporting the development of an Ecosystem Restoration Code (ERC) for Scotland as a new high-integrity market mechanism that could attract responsible private investment into nature restoration and biodiversity projects. This commitment is being delivered in 2025 via an SG-NatureScot partnership project. SG has published an Engagement Paper which summarises the results of the Discovery Phase of the... MoreClosed 7 July 2025 -
Changes to waste management services
The Scottish Government is launching the Changes to Waste Management Consultation and the Call for Evidence (CfE) on the potential extension of the upcoming ban on landfilling biodegradable municipal waste. The first of these consultation topics is a review of the rural food waste exemption that permits local authorities not to collect food waste from locations classified as being rural if collections are not economically viable. We want to know if the exemption, which has existed since... MoreClosed 17 June 2025
239 results.
Page 1 of 8