In October 2021, ERCS submitted a Freedom of Information request to investigate the impact of Protective Expenses Orders – which are intended to reduce the cost of litigation for environmental cases. A year later, we are still in the dark about how they are really working ...
Environmental campaigners urge UN Body to recommend equal rights in Scotland’s planning system – press release
ERCS, Planning Democracy, FoES and RSPB Scotland have submitted a formal complaint to the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee, tasked with upholding environmental rights, to recommend equal rights of appeal in the planning system ...
Scottish Government fails to deliver for UN Action Plan deadline on environmental rights – press release
ERCS, FoES and RSPB Scotland have branded a UK and Scottish Government Action Plan to deliver on environmental rights ‘woefully inadequate’. The groups have written to the UN body to express their concern about a lack of concrete commitments to reform the legal system to help people defend the environment ...
ERCS welcomes exemption of court fees for some Aarhus cases, but much more is needed
The Scottish Government has published its response to their consultation on court fees, along with secondary legislation to implement changes from 1 July. However, more is needed ...
ERCS responds to the Scottish Government’s consultation on court fees
Read our response. We welcome the proposal to make all Aarhus Convention cases exempt from court fees. Our response sets out why this is important and how this could work in practice ...
New parliamentary motion lodged on the right to access environmental justice
Good news! Maggie Chapman MSP, Deputy Convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee in the Scottish Parliament has lodged a motion on the right to access environmental justice. The motion has achieved cross-party support and is now eligible for a debate in Parliament ...
New briefing: Recommendations for a plan of action on judicial expenses
This briefing sets out three key reforms on judicial expenses that could help tackle the cost barrier of access to justice ...
ERCS, Friends of the Earth Scotland and RSPB Scotland PR: UN Body to Declare Scottish Legal System Breaking International Environmental and Human Rights Law
A UN body will confirm today that Scotland’s legal system is breaking international environmental and human rights law, due to the extremely high costs of legal action...
