A new report backed by experts from across Scotland’s environmental sector has welcomed the Scottish Government’s commitment to incorporating the substantive and procedural elements of the right to a healthy environment in its upcoming Human Rights Bill ...
Campaigns
New briefing highlights need for a Scottish Environment Court
Read our new briefing summarising arguments for a Scottish Environment Court, in anticipation of the Scottish Government’s consultation on access to justice ...
Report launch: The clear and urgent case for a Scottish Environment Court
Today we are delighted to publish a new report, 'The clear and urgent case for a Scottish Environment Court', commissioned by ERCS and authored by Prof. Campbell Gemmell ...
Equal rights of appeal – update
A top UN body has backed calls from environmental and community campaigners to review planning appeal rights across Scotland. This intervention follows repeated calls for equal rights of appeal which have been ignored by the Scottish Government ...
Access to justice on the environment: A review of progress so far
It’s been a whirlwind few months for anyone concerned about access to justice on the environment. Our Policy & Advocacy Officer, Benji, gives an update on what's gone well and what more there is to do ...
New briefing: Protective Expenses Orders – access to information remains a barrier to justice
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 ...
