On 18 September, we gathered with 75 friends and colleagues to celebrate ERCS’s fifth birthday. We wanted to hold this event to say a special thanks to our members, supporters and colleagues who have supported us in small ways and big during the past five years.
Throughout the evening, we were delighted to hear people catching up and make new connections over shared ambitions. At the Campaign Station, campaigners shared resources with each other – from flyers for the Scotland Demands Better march to seeds foraged from St Fittick’s Park – and left birthday messages for ERCS, some of which are included in this blog.
We also shared some of our plans for the future.
“Congratulations on achieving SO much SO quickly and proving the importance of the right to a healthy environment. Onwards!!”
Launching ERCS’s new Manifesto
Our Chief Officer Shivali Fifield launched ERCS’s new Advocacy Manifesto on securing environmental rights in Scotland. She spoke about how the first five years of ERCS demanded the team to quickly grow into our space, guided by the Environmental Justice Network who have shown us what it means to be environmental defenders in Scotland. The Advocacy Manifesto offers a route map for political parties to respond to their experiences by protecting human rights, improving access to justice and strengthening environmental governance.
Professor Elisa Morgera, the UN Special Rapporteur on Climate Change and Human Rights, commended the work already done on a Scottish Human Rights Bill and pressed the importance for Scotland to follow through on enshrining the right to a healthy environment.
Advocacy Manifesto
ERCS’s Advocacy Manifesto: Securing environmental rights in Scotland, offers a route map for political parties to protect human rights, improve access to justice and strengthen environmental governance.
Environmental Justice Network: Sewage pollution in our land and water
Community campaigners from the Environmental Justice Network joined ERCS’s officers to speak about their experiences on challenging sewage pollution, illustrating how enquiries to the Advice Service inform our advocacy.
Jo Hirst and Doreen Goldie explained how for over a decade, they have raised the alarm about sewage sludge spreading on land. Sewage sludge is a by-product of sewage treatment, which is used as fertilizer on farmland despite having been found to contain high amounts of pollutants including PFAS and microplastics. Jo and Doreen called out the lack of action from the Scottish Government, and ERCS will soon launch a campaign with them to press for better regulation.
Kathleen Edie from River Almond Action Group (RAAG) then highlighted how untreated sewage is polluting Scotland’s waterways. She described severe pollution in their local River Almond from sewer overflows, which has persisted over years despite several complaints to regulators. Now, ERCS, RAAG and another EJN member SOSLeith are launching a shared campaign to stop routine discharges from sewer overflows – and Clean Up Scotland’s Sewage.
“Thank you for your friendship and allyship! Couldn’t do it without you”.
Toast to ERCS’s law centre
The evening concluded with ERCS’s Chair Lloyd Austin and Legal Director Ben Christman announcing the launch of our law centre, which will expand our Advice Service so we can represent our clients and take our own legal challenges.
Together, we raised a toast for five more years of ERCS – thankful to everyone who has supported us to get so far, and ready to take on the next challenges in challenging pollution and mobilising for our right to a healthy environment. Thank you to everyone who joined us!
Julia Leino, ERCS Policy & Communication Officers, October 2025
“It was such a wonderful evening … it was actually a really special day with the climate lobby and then your party. Brings hope.”
Photography by Eloise Bishop.
