Read our briefing summarising Scotland’s progress towards addressing its breach of the Aarhus Convention’s access to justice requirements, and the reforms needed in this parliamentary session to guarantee full access to environmental justice ...
Law reform
Learnings from the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill and the next steps for criminalising ecocide
With a new parliament in place, we revisit outstanding questions from the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill’s scrutiny and consider the next steps for the effective criminalisation of ecocide ...
Scotland’s breach of public participation requirements – case update
In March 2025, ERCS submitted a complaint to the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee on the Scottish Civil Justice Council’s failure to publicly consult on proposed changes to rules ...
Scottish elections 2026: where do the parties stand on environmental rights?
With only a week to go before the next Scottish Parliament election, what commitments have each party made on environmental rights and access to justice? ...
Proposed changes to court rules signal major step towards affordable access to justice
ERCS welcomes positive proposals to address the cost of environmental litigation after years of inaction from public authorities ...
Landmark ecocide law moves ahead in Scotland – press release
Today, the creation of a new criminal offence of ecocide was pushed forward as the Scottish Parliament voted to progress the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill to Stage 2 ...
A healthy planet, a fair society: new UN guidance links human rights and the environment
A new General Comment published by the United Nations makes clear that 'a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is an essential precondition for the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights.' ...
UN body finds that Scotland fails to guarantee access to environmental justice – press release
The Scottish Government has failed to implement recommendations to guarantee access to justice to uphold environmental rights, according to a new UN report ...
