Video of ESS Strategy 2026-2031

Scotland has a natural environment we can all be proud of, but there is still much to do, particularly as we look to

tackle the twin climate and nature crisis. At Environmental Standards Scotland, ESS, we play our part by

monitoring, investigating, and securing public authorities compliance with environmental law. We also scrutinize

the effectiveness of environmental law in Scotland and how it is implemented and applied. Our new strategy sets out

how we will carry out this work over the next 5 years. It brings a strong focus on four key priorities that we will base

our proactive work upon: climate change, nature, resources, and water. and it confirms that we will continue to

receive and consider representations from members of the public and community groups on any issues of environmental

concern across everything we do. We will carry out our work according to our principles. We will strive to be

independent and trusted, be evidence-driven, be open and transparent, engage widely and effectively, seek to resolve issues

through agreement wherever appropriate, and prioritize our efforts and resources to maximize our impact. We will also

measure and report on our progress using clear indicators and milestones to show how our work is delivering meaningful improvements over time. This will show

how our work is helping us achieve our five strategic objectives of securing compliance and improving effectiveness, analyzing and investigating

environmental concerns, monitoring and scrutinizing environmental performance, engaging and communicating effectively,

and being an efficient and effective organization.

By achieving these objectives, we will realize the ambition set out in our new strategy. By holding public authorities to account, we will ensure that

Scotland’s people and nature benefit from a highquality, healthy environment through improved compliance with and

better implementation of effective environmental law. For more information, visit environmentalstandards.scot.