Cuts mean Scotland will not meet environment targets, say charities

Group of 16 organisations says reduced funding means rewilding and conservation targets likely to be missed

Scotland will fail to meet its ambitious rewilding and conservation targets unless it reverses deep cuts in funding for the environment, leading charities have said.

Nature and conservation funding in Scotland has been cut by tens of millions of pounds over the last decade, with ministers diverting the money to other policy areas, according to a group of 16 influential environment charities.

Nearly 60% of Scotland’s legally protected sites of special scientific interest – the most precious in the country – have not been assessed in more than a decade, with only 65% in favourable condition.

Only half of the sites which make up Scotland’s “Atlantic rainforest” are in favourable condition.

Scottish government funding for nature fell from 0.55% of its total budget to 0.25% between 2010/11 and 2022/23.

Sepa’s budget cuts have made it heavily reliant on so-called “cost recovery” fees it charges to inspect private companies but those fees have not kept pace with inflation, falling by 14% in real terms.