Reading Time: 7 minutes This blog discusses ‘forest risk commodities’: what they are, what recent legislative proposals mean for Scotland, and what other questions these proposals raise.
Category: Environment & Energy
Can hydrogen drive Scotland to net-zero? Part 2: What are Scotland’s hydrogen energy plans?
Reading Time: 7 minutes This blog outlines how the Scottish Government plans to use hydrogen energy to decarbonise key sectors on the path to net-zero emissions by 2045. This
Can hydrogen drive Scotland to net-zero? Part 1: What is hydrogen energy?
Reading Time: 7 minutes This blog outlines what hydrogen energy is, how it is produced and how it may be used to decarbonise key energy-intensive sectors. It is recommended
A good deal? Agriculture and the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement
Reading Time: 8 minutes The media has recently reported extensively on the negotiations to establish a free trade agreement (FTA) between the UK and Australia. Much of this attention has been paid to the impact that the agreement may have on UK agricultural sectors.
How does Scotland’s biodiversity measure up?
Reading Time: 6 minutes This blog looks at a recent review which found that Scotland rated poorly for its ‘biodiversity intactness’ compared to other countries.
Out of the blue: Is blue carbon the next frontier for climate change mitigation in Scotland?
Reading Time: 5 minutes This blog explains the current understanding of carbon captured and stored in Scotland’s coastal and marine environment, known as ‘blue carbon’. It also outlines known threats to blue carbon stores and explores opportunities for embedding blue carbon in Scotland’s climate change policy.
Guest blog: Climate change plan update and Scottish woodland creation: getting the balance right
Reading Time: 6 minutes Woodlands are a key element of the Scottish Government’s climate change plans, but getting multiple benefits is more complicated than planting trees.
Infrastructure investment: “locking in” a low carbon economy?
Reading Time: 5 minutes The Scottish Government plans to invest over £6 billion on infrastructure such as homes, roads and rail in 2021-22. This blogpost explores what we know of this infrastructure’s likely effect on Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions.
What does the UK-EU Deal mean for environmental standards in Scotland?
Reading Time: 8 minutes This blog explores the implications of the EU-UK Agreement for the ability of the Scottish Government, in practice, to keep pace with EU environmental law.
Guest blog: How to achieve green recovery from COVID-19? Expert views, and their alignment with Scottish Government proposals
Reading Time: 7 minutes This blog summarises recent research as part of a SPICe fellowship which investigated policies and interventions that experts agree should form part of a green recovery from COVID-19.