A new ERCS briefing discusses the importance of amending Regulation 15 of the Civil Legal Aid (Scotland) Regulations 2002 to enable public interest environmental litigation and increase access to environmental justice. The briefing summarises evidence supplied by ERCS legal director Ben Christman to the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities, Human Rights, and Civil Justice Committee in November 2024, which highlights how the ‘joint interest test’ specified under Regulation 15 of the Civil Legal Aid Regulations 2002 makes it difficult to obtain legal aid for environmental cases. ERCS recommends that Regulation 15 is amended so that it does not apply to cases falling within the scope of the Aarhus Convention. Read the briefing
Aarhus Convention
Scottish Parliament debates the Aarhus Convention and access to environmental justice – the highlights
Read our highlights from last week's Scottish Parliament debate on the Aarhus Convention and access to environmental justice ...
Charities call the Scottish Government’s lack of progress on UN treaty an ‘abject failure’ to protect environmental rights – press release
Environmental charities including the RSPB and ERCS have called out the Scottish Government’s ‘abject failure’ to meet the access to justice requirements of the UN Aarhus Convention ...
Environmental campaigners rally outside Court of Session as Scottish Government misses access to justice deadline – press release
Environmental and human rights campaigners today rallied outside the Court of Session to mark the Scottish Government missing a crucial deadline for compliance with the with the UN Aarhus Convention’s access to justice requirements ...
Environmental Justice Rally
On 1 October, Scotland will fail to meet a deadline to ensure access to justice on the environment is affordable. Join us for a rally outside the Court of Session ...
Scotland’s environmental watchdog needs a trip to the vet
Read ERCS's report on our first 11 representations to Environmental Standards Scotland, and our legal director's summary ...
Scotland’s new protective expenses rules remain non-compliant with the Aarhus Convention
Read ERCS’s new briefing which evaluates the latest changes to Scotland’s Protective Expenses Order (PEO) rules, and asks why they still do not meet the Convention's access to justice requirements ...
New briefing calls for urgent reform to Scotland’s legal aid system
A new briefing, jointly authored by ERCS, the Human Rights Consortium Scotland and JustRight Scotland, calls for urgent reform to improve Scotland's civil legal aid system and increase access to justice ...
