ERCS was established as part of Scottish Environment LINK (LINK). LINK is the forum and national intermediary for the citizen-led environmental sector. LINK has 40 member bodies with a collective membership of c. 500,000. Members represent a broad range of environmental interests with the common goal of contributing to a sustainable society.
A feasibility study commissioned by LINK’s Legal Strategy Group and published in March 2018 underpins the case for an Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland as an independent organisation to provide four programmes of work: dedicated public education; advice and representation; advocacy in policy and law reform; and affordable legal services in public interest litigation.
In 2019, LINK was delighted to be awarded £120,000 over three years (2020-2022) by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust to start this initiative with two part-time workers – a development manager and programme manager, in post since 20th January 2020. A part-time advocacy worker and administrator joined the ERCS team at the start of September.
