Shaping and Influencing Policy: Q3 22/23

Strategic engagement and working collaboratively

We have continued to expand and develop our strategic and operational relationships across Scotland’s local authorities, and across the membership organisations we are part of – attending an in-person facilitated strategy day for Stop Climate Chaos Scotland and an online strategy development day for Scottish Environment LINK.

Our membership of SCCS and SELink sees us work collaboratively and strategically with a variety of other organisations to influence across a range of topics including climate policy, circular economy, sustainable economics and green skills, and nature.

Developing and engaging with policy

In partnership with ASH Scotland, Marine Conservation Society, Green Alliance and others we sent a letter to UK Government highlighting the environmentally damaging impact of disposable vapes. The topic was raised at a Westminster debate tabled by Kirsten Oswald MP, and which garnered some media attention thereafter.

We endorsed the responses of Scottish Environment LINK for the Agriculture Bill and the Future of Scotland’s National Parks consultations – due to the wide membership of SELINK and the depth of expertise these responses were exceptionally well informed and evidenced.

The new National Litter and Flytipping strategy is now likely to be published in early 2023, and we look forward to welcoming its publication by Scottish Government in due course.

As more in-person events return we are increasing our attendance at policy and political events and look forward to a number of events at Parliament in early 2023.

Demonstrating expertise and credibility

We responded to the Call for Evidence by James Withers on Scotland’s skills delivery landscape, in which we outlined the need for continued partnership working and collaboration as a key part of the delivery landscape, as it enables a range of organisations from across the private, public and third sectors to bring together an array of skills and expertise and offers an opportunity for learners from all walks of life to access training and re-skilling at a range of different entry, knowledge and experience levels.

We announced the launch of our Cup Movement® in the Highlands initiative which will see a large-scale reusable cup scheme trialled in partnership with NorthCoast500, Zero Waste Scotland, and the Highland Good Food Partnership with funding from Hubbub and the Bring It Back fund.

Our updated Time for a new approach: tackling the litter emergency was published in December alongside the 2022 annual Scottish Litter Survey perceptions report.

Internally, we have worked to refresh mapping of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals across our activities and programmes and will be feeding this into a refresh of our position statements in 2023, along with redeveloping our SDGs webpage and related branding.