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Everyone’s Environment Scotland position statement

  • Area of Work: Policy and Research
  • Type: News Item
  • Published: 24th April 2025
A graphic with 5 panels. 2 panels contain a thermometer, 1 panel has an earth and the other 2 depict 2 landscapes - 1 with a luscious landscape and 1 with a desert

Policy Position Statement on Making Environmental Policy Inclusive in Scotland.

Everyone’s Environment, co-ordinated by NPC, is a collaboration of over 80 social and environmental charities to accelerate action on the social impacts of the environmental crises. The programme is currently looking to influence Scottish environmental policies to ensure they better reflect the needs of marginalised and disadvantaged groups.

The environmental crises do not affect all people in the same way; some of the most disadvantaged and marginalised people are worst affected by our changing environment and related policy. Charities and funders have a critical role to play in supporting and empowering different social groups to be part of the solutions.

In 2024, Everyone’s Environment held deliberation groups and a roundtable for Scotland-based charities to understand what Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups, young people, Disabled people, and older people in Scotland need from environmental policy.  

Green and blue spaces, transport, renewables, housing, and green jobs emerged as the five most important policy areas.

The people that we heard from had four priorities for how these policies should be delivered:  

  • active involvement in policy design and implementation 
  • a rights-based/fairness approach 
  • accessible information  
  • and greater action at the devolved level. 

Everyone’s Environment commissioned the Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland (ERCS) to review current Scottish Government policy papers in these areas and identify policy gaps drawing on the work of wider civil society.  

The findings from these reviews (produced in September-November 2024) are summarised in this position statement. 

This position statement has been developed as part of the Everyone’s Environment programme and represents the views of the following organisations:

Logos of multiple organisations who have signed the position statement including the ALLIANCE, Inclusion Scotland, the Poverty Alliance and Human Rights Consortium Scotland.

Read the full position statement below.

Resources:

Everyone’s Environment Scotland Policy Position Statement
Download Word Document (579 KB)

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