Environmental Standards Scotland Strategy 2026-2031
Overview
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 local 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 for 2026-2031. The Strategy sets out how we will work to scrutinise, investigate and secure improvements in public authorities’ compliance with environmental law, the effectiveness of environmental law, and the way it is being implemented and applied in Scotland.
Read the consultation paper and the draft Strategy 2026-31. The consultation paper contains full background information for this consultation. You may find it useful to read or refer to while responding.
The consultation is open until the 29th August 2025 and you are invited to share your views with us using our online survey - please select the 'Give us your views' link below.
Consultation questions
The consultation questions are included here for your reference. Please click 'Begin consultation' at the bottom of this page to proceed.
Vision
1.0. On a scale of ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’, how much do you agree or disagree that this vision, as presented in ESS’ draft Strategy, is the right vision for the organisation to be working towards?
1.1. Do you have any comments on ESS’ vision, as laid out in the draft Strategy?
Principles
2.0. On a scale of ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’, how much do you agree or disagree that these principles, as presented in ESS’ draft Strategy, are the right principles for the organisation to be working with?
2.1. Do you have any comments on ESS’ principles, as laid out in the draft Strategy?
Priorities
3.0. On a scale of ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’, how much do you agree or disagree with ESS’ approach to prioritisation, as set out in sections 3.1-3.5 of the draft Strategy?
3.1. Do you have any comments about ESS’ approach to prioritisation, as laid out in the draft Strategy?
Strategic Objectives
Section 4 of ESS’ draft strategy presents five strategic objectives and describes the approach ESS proposes to take to deliver these objectives:
Objective 1. Securing compliance and improving effectiveness (Paragraphs 4.1-4.3)
4.0. On a scale of ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’, how much do you agree or disagree with ESS’ approach to delivering this objective(1)?
4.1. Do you have any comments on this objective, or ESS’ approach to delivering this objective(1)?
Objective 2. Analysing and investigating environmental concerns (Paragraphs 4.4-4.7)
4.2. On a scale of ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’, how much do you agree or disagree with ESS’ approach to delivering this objective(2)?
4.3. Do you have any comments on this objective, or ESS’ approach to delivering this objective(2)?
Objective 3. Monitoring and scrutinising environmental performance (Paragraphs 4.8-4.13)
4.4. On a scale of ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’, how much do you agree or disagree with ESS’ approach to delivering this objective(3)?
4.5. Do you have any comments on this objective, or ESS’ approach to delivering this objective(3)?
Objective 4. Engaging and communicating effectively (Paragraphs 4.14-4.17)
4.6. On a scale of ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’, how much do you agree or disagree with ESS’ approach to delivering this objective(4)?
4.7. Do you have any comments on this objective, or ESS’ approach to delivering this objective(4)?
Objective 5. Being an efficient and effective organisation (Paragraphs 4.18-4.26)
4.8. On a scale of ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’, how much do you agree or disagree with ESS’ approach to delivering this objective(5)?
4.9. Do you have any comments on this objective, or ESS’ approach to delivering this objective(5)?
Proposed approach to measuring performance
Q5.0 Do you have any comments about ESS’ proposed approach to evaluating its impact and measuring its performance, as outlined in Section 5 of the draft Strategy?
Interim conclusions on the various impact assessments of the Strategy
6.0. On a scale of ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’, how much do you agree or disagree with ESS’ conclusion on the equality impact assessment? (Paragraphs 1.6-1.12)
6.1. On a scale of ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’, how much do you agree or disagree with ESS’ conclusion on the business and regulatory impact assessment? (Paragraphs 1.13-1.15)
6.2. On a scale of ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’, how much do you agree or disagree with ESS’ conclusion on the strategic environmental assessment? (Paragraphs 1.16-1.21)
6.3. On a scale of ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’, how much do you agree or disagree with ESS’ conclusion on the child rights and wellbeing impact assessment? (Paragraphs 1.22-1.26)
6.4. On a scale of ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’, how much do you agree or disagree with ESS’ conclusion on the island communities impact assessment? (Paragraphs 1.27-1.30)
6.5. On a scale of ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’, how much do you agree or disagree with ESS’ conclusion on the consumer duty impact assessment? (Paragraphs 1.31-1.33)
6.6. On a scale of ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’, how much do you agree or disagree with ESS’ conclusion on the data protection impact assessment? (Paragraphs 1.34-1.36)
6.7. Do you have any comments on ESS' approach to, or interim conclusions for the various impact assessments? Please specify which impact assessment you are commenting on below.
Response to Scottish Government recommendation following the environmental governance review
7.0. On a scale of ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’, how much do you agree or disagree with ESS’ response to the Scottish Government recommendation?
7.1. Do you have any comments on the following part of ESS’ response to the Scottish Government recommendation in relation to the environmental governance review? Paragraphs 4.5-4.7: setting out the statutory limitations on the exercise of ESS’ functions (e.g. ESS’ inability to act as an appeals body or take enforcement action against public authorities on individual regulatory decisions).
7.2. Do you have any comments on the following part of ESS’ response to the Scottish Government recommendation in relation to the environmental governance review? Paragraphs 4.8-4.11: Setting out how ESS can consider the individual circumstances of a local area, group or community.
7.3. Do you have any comments on the following part of ESS’ response to the Scottish Government recommendation in relation to the environmental governance review? Paragraphs 4.12-4.14: On the gaps in the environmental governance landscape not filled by the establishment of ESS.
Final comments
8.0. Do you have any other comments on our draft Strategy and our approach to fulfilling our remit?
Useful information about responding to this consultation
As you complete your response, each page will provide the option to 'Save and come back later' at the bottom. This means you can save your progress and return to the consultation at any time before it closes. If you don't use this feature and leave the consultation midway through, your response will be lost.
Once you have submitted your response, you can enter your email address to get a pdf copy of your answers sent to you.
On the 'About You' page at the end of this consultation, organisations will have the opportunity to tell us more about their work and/or how their response was informed.
Alternatively, you can send responses to the consultation by email to enquiries@environmentalstandards.scot or by post to: Environmental Standards Scotland Thistle House, 91 Haymarket Terrace Edinburgh, EH12 5HD.
After the consultation has closed there will be a few months delay before any responses are published. This is because we must check any responses to be published abide by our Terms of Use.
An analysis report will usually be published some months after the consultation has closed. This report will summarise the findings based on all responses submitted. It will be published on the Environmental Standards Scotland website and you may be notified about it if you choose to share your email address with us.
Why your views matter
This consultation will help us to develop a Strategy that effectively guides our work over the next five years. Our Strategy aims to ensure that we can effectively hold public authorities to account, and that people and nature benefit from a high-quality environment through improved compliance with, and better implementation of, effective environmental law.
Your views will help us to shape the final Strategy that will be submitted to Parliament for approval in the autumn.
Give us your views
Events
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Environmental Standards Scotland Consultation Information Session
From 19 Jun 2025 at 17:30 to 19 Jun 2025 at 18:15You can sign up to our online information event here - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ess-strategy-consultation-information-session-online-tickets-1375875704269?aff=oddtdtcreator
Interests
- Environment and Climate Change
- Main hub
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