Environmental Standards Scotland
Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS) is a public body set up to ensure the effectiveness of environmental law, and prevent enforcement gaps arising from the UK leaving the European Union.
We are here to independently monitor and investigate the effectiveness of environmental law in Scotland, and public authorities’ compliance with it.
Raise an environmental concern
One of the ways in which we carry out our function is to investigate representations made to us.
Find out what we can investigate, how to raise a concern and what cases we are currently working on.
Dr Richard Dixon in conversation with Laura Young
Our Chair, Dr Richard Dixon has met with Laura Young, otherwise known as Less Waste Laura.
Watch our video to learn about our work at ESS and how the public can engage with our organisation, including with our consultation on our new draft Strategy
Video Transcript
0:00 I’m Laura Young, an environmental
0:02 scientist and campaigner based here in
0:03 Scotland. I’m going to speak to Dr.
0:06 Richard Dixon, who is the new chair of
0:08 Environmental Standards Scotland.
0:11 Environmental Standards Scotland make
0:13 sure that Scotland’s environmental laws
0:15 are effective and implemented properly.
0:18 All right, Richard,
0:18 nice to see you. How?
0:19 Good to see you.
0:20 Richard, it would be great to hear a bit
0:22 more about your work, your background,
0:24 and what has brought you to the role.
0:25 Yes, I’ve been an environmental
0:27 campaigner for about 30 years. I led WWF
0:30 Scotland and Friends of the Earth
0:32 Scotland working mostly on climate
0:34 justice. I was also on the board of
0:35 Scottish Environment Protection Agency
0:37 for eight years. So I saw how
0:38 environmental regulation works. And then
0:41 for the last four years since we started
0:42 creating Environmental Standards
0:44 Scotland, I’ve been on the board and
0:46 been the chair since April.
0:48 For those who haven’t heard of
0:49 Environmental Standards Scotland, what
0:51 is the work that you do?
0:53 So Environmental Standards Scotland is a
0:55 product of Brexit. We’re supposed to
0:56 replace some of the things that we used
0:58 to have coming from Europe.
0:59 What are some examples of things that
1:01 people might see?
1:02 So, we do two things. We pick subjects
1:04 of our own that we think are relevant
1:06 and important. For instance, recently
1:07 we’ve looked at sewage outfalls across
1:09 Scotland. And then we get
1:10 representations. So, individuals and
1:13 groups can come to us and say, “Oh, we
1:15 think there’s a problem here.
1:16 Environmental law isn’t working.” And
1:18 we’ll look into that. How does the work
1:20 of Environmental Standards Scotland
1:21 engage with younger people who often at
1:24 times are very concerned about the
1:25 future of the natural environment?
1:27 If you’re a young person and you’re in a
1:29 part of a group, invite us in. Invite us
1:31 to come and tell you what we do and
1:32 we’ll listen to what your concerns are.
1:34 But one of the things we’re doing which
1:36 I think is really relevant to young
1:37 people is on climate change. So the
1:40 government has a climate change plan,
1:42 but it wasn’t very good when it was
1:44 written. And so we’re now looking at
1:46 what should the new plan look like? a
1:48 plan where you can actually see into the
1:49 future exactly what’s supposed to be
1:51 happening which policy is supposed to be
1:53 producing what reduction in climate
1:55 emissions over what time scale
1:57 for people who are thinking I want to
1:58 play my part how can they engage with
2:00 environmental standards Scotland
2:01 we have a community engagement program
2:03 so if you’re part of a group do invite
2:05 us along if you have an issue you think
2:07 something’s wrong get in touch with us
2:08 and then finally we’ve been very busy
2:10 recently producing a new 5-year strategy
2:12 you’ve got until the 29th of August
2:14 to look at our website and see that
2:17 strategy Y and tell us what you think of
2:19 it.
2:19 It’s been so great to hear a bit about
2:20 your work and of course the work of
2:22 Environmental Standards Scotland. But we
2:23 do want to get to know you a little bit
2:24 more. So I’ve got three quickfire
2:26 questions. If you are spending a day out
2:27 in Scotland’s beautiful environment,
2:29 would you prefer to be at the coast or
2:32 on the countryside?
2:33 Coast is good.
2:34 And if you were going out for a big day
2:35 out, would you prefer to walk or cycle?
2:37 Oh, both are good, but walk mostly.
2:39 And if you wanted to spend time just
2:41 observing nature, would you prefer to
2:43 stargaze or do a bit of bird watching?
2:44 Oh, well, I have a PhD in astronomy, so
2:46 I better say stargaze.
2:48 Thank you so much, Richard, for having
2:49 this conversation. It’s been lovely to
2:51 get to know a bit more about you and, of
2:53 course, the work that Environmental
2:54 Standards Scotland do.
2:56 Great. Thank you, Laura.