Environment report says there’s still room for improvement

SCOTLAND must do more to reduce its contribution to climate change, improve air quality and cut litter, according to the most comprehensive insight yet into the country’s environment.

The State of the Environment Report, published yesterday painted a generally positive picture of Scotland’s environment.

However, key areas for improvement included doing more to reduce our contribution to climate change, cutting down on poor air quality, litter and noise in some towns and cities, boosting recycling rates, and reducing human impact on the seas.

Stewart Stevenson, environment minister, said: “Over the past 50 years, we have seen huge improvements in Scotland’s environment – river and air pollution has reduced and our woodland cover has increased from 8 per cent, one of the lowest in Europe, to 18 per cent.

“While the State of the Environment Report paints an overall picture, it also shows key issues to be tackled and what needs to be done to sustain and improve the environment.”

Other areas highlighted in the report include achieving a balance in land management between food production, forest management and recreation.