SR Response: Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill Consultation

On May 9, 2025, Scottish Renewables submitted a response to the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill consultation.

As introduced, the Bill has four main parts:

• Part 1 says that the Scottish Government must introduce targets to improve biodiversity.
• Part 2 allows the Scottish Government to make and change laws relating to the Environmental Impact Assessments regime and the Habitats Regulations. This would replace a power that was lost as a result of the UK’s exit from the EU.
• Part 3 updates the aims of National Parks and makes changes to the way National Parks are run.
• Part 4 relates to the management of wild deer.

Scottish Renewables:

• Supports targets to improve biodiversity and urges the Scottish Government to ensure than biodiversity targets do not conflict with net-zero targets.
• Supports providing powers for the Scottish Government to update EIA regulations and encourages them to request the same powers from the UK Government in the Electricity Act for Section 36 and 37 applications.
• Supports updated aims of National Parks to include climate change and updating the management of wild deer.