Our vision & work
Who we are
The Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland (ERCS) was established as part of Scottish Environment LINK and registered as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SC050257) in July 2020. We became fully independent from LINK in July 2021 and are managed by a Board of trustees.
We are Scotland’s only environmental charity providing free legal expertise in public interest environmental law. We cover laws relating to land-use planning, climate change, pollution control, environmental health, the conservation of biodiversity, and any other field (e.g. cultural heritage, transport, energy) to the extent that it impacts on the natural environment and the right to live in a healthy environment.
Our vision is of a Scotland where every person’s right to a healthy environment is respected, protected and fulfilled.
We launched our free legal advice service in 2021. The evidence from this and the lived experience of Scotland’s environmental defenders persuaded us to do more, and in 2025 we established our law firm ERCS Legal Ltd (SC834081), regulated by the Law Society of Scotland, to provide free legal representation as well as advice and assistance.
ERCS Strategy 2026-2029
Read our Strategy 2026 – 2029 which summarises our strategic aims, priorities and actions, and also our Equity, diversity, and inclusion commitment.
The problem
Environmental damage and human suffering are two sides of the same coin. Globally, we are facing a triple planetary crisis of climate breakdown, biodiversity loss, and increasing pollution of our air, land and water. Fossil fuels and our over-consumption of resources contribute to climate disasters, fuel and food insecurity, and are pushing the planet to breaking point.
In Scotland, severe weather events, air and water pollution, proximity to contaminated land, and poor access to nature-rich greenspace are examples of substantive environmental problems that contribute to inequalities in health and wellbeing. Unsound management of chemicals and waste, intensive agriculture, industrial fishing, and monocultural forestry plantations are devasting our land and marine ecosystems, contributing to a rapid decline in flora and fauna.
People living in areas of high disadvantage, children, older people, disabled people, and people with health conditions are disproportionately affected by environmental problems and are often least responsible for causing environmental damage. They also often have fewer resources to challenge these environmental burdens. This contributes to systemic discrimination and environmental injustice.
Construction refuse where a greenspace once was on a Gypsy/Traveller site by Cornell Hanxomphou. Read more about environmental rights on Gypsy/Traveller Sites.
The need and demand for ERCS
We should be able to hold public authorities and polluters to account to protect and restore the natural world, but in Scotland it is incredibly difficult to use our legal system – it is complicated, intimidating and unaffordable.
At the same time, the environment has no voice in the Scottish courts and relies on us to be that voice.
Our purpose is to increase the capacity and opportunity of individuals, groups and organisations to challenge environmental injustice at neighbourhood, local authority and national levels.
Environmental justice is about ensuring a fair distribution of environmental benefits and burdens. It acknowledges that marginalised groups and communities are more exposed to environmental burdens (such as pollution, proximity to landfill and the impacts of climate change); and have less access to environmental benefits (such as accessible and nature-rich greenspace).
It also recognises that these groups are least responsible for contributing to environmental damage on local and global scales. Yet, they have less resources and opportunities to challenge harmful practices and protect the environment now, and for future generations.
ERCS promotes environmental justice in two ways:
Substantive
By using the law to improve environmental protection and restoration and securing the highest standards for a clean, healthy and sustainable environment for everyone.
Procedural
By working for equitable participation in environmental decision-making, recognition of robust and enforceable environmental rights, and for fair, equitable, timely and affordable access to legal remedies.
Sewage sludge being tipped into a field, by Jo Hirst and Doreen Goldie who are part of the Stop Toxic Sewage Sludge campaign.
ERCS spoke with the Scottish Refugee Council’s Peer Integration Group about their experiences of accessing greenspace and healthy food. By Cornell Hanxomphou.
Our mission – what we do
Our mission is to assist everyone, especially people who face the biggest barriers, to exercise their rights in environmental law and to protect the environment. Our four work areas take a human rights-based approach and reinforce each other to close the gap between policy and practice:
Our annual reports and financial statements detail the progress and outcomes of our work which have the overall aims of strengthening environmental democracy and enforcing the human right to a healthy environment. Our growth reflects the increasing demand for our law service and influence of our advocacy.
ERCS roots – our supporters
We are a membership organisation and have over 200 members. Membership is free for any person aged 16 or over, living in Scotland and who supports our vision.
As our supporter network continues to grow, we wanted to share our picture of what groups make up our supporters and membership, and how each of them contributes to our shared vision of a Scotland where every person’s right to a healthy environment is respected, protected and fulfilled.
Supporters are the largest group, keeping up to date with our work, attending events and responding to calls to action. Join by signing up to our mailing list.
Members proactively support our vision and work, and elect our trustees. Anyone living in Scotland and over 16 can apply to be a member for free.
Associates are members who offer their expertise, acting as ‘critical friends’ and extending our connections. Nominated and elected by our trustees.
Environmental Justice Network is a peer network of community campaigners, supporting us to improve the enforcement of environmental regulations. Membership is open to clients of ERCS’s Law Service and rights awareness work.
Trustees are elected by members, and responsible for the effective governance of ERCS to achieve its charitable purposes and mission. Find out more in our trustee recruitment pack.
Our values
We aim to be:
- Open, accessible and approachable in how we offer our services
- Respectful, collaborative and enabling in how we deliver our services
- Evidence-based and assertive in how we advocate for policy and law reform
- Trusted and authoritative in how we pursue environmental rights and litigation
- Transparent in how we evaluate our impacts and improve our overall effectiveness.
Header image: Hebridean Edge by Siegfried Makedanz, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
