The Committee will now write to Scottish Government asking how it intends intends to reflect, in its approach to environmental policy formation and consultation, the findings of the Convention on Biodiversity and Malawi principle 11.
The Principle states: 'The ecosystem approach should consider all forms of relevant information, including scientific and indigenous and local knowledge, innovations and practices’.
The SGA Petition argues that this is presently not happening in Scotland today, with practitioner or local knowledge treated by Government and its agencies on the same level as public opinion and not given the credence which ought to be afforded to it, according to international conventions.
In support of the Petition, the SGA provided new evidence in the form of NatureScot Research Report 1309- Understanding the Indirect Drivers of Biodiversity Loss in Scotland.
The report states: ‘Local and experiential knowledge is undervalued in environmental decision making. Participatory governance arrangements should be developed that incorporate local knowledge into decision making.’
The Committee will also write to Scottish Government and NatureScot to see how such participatory arrangements could be developed in Scotland in order provide the appropriate space for practitioners to be able to lend their considerable essential skills and knowledge to the Biodiversity and climate challenges facing the country.
WATCH the full (short) consideration of the Petition, below.
Thanks to all members and supporters who signed the Petition. The SGA also has a second Petition running at Parliament, asking for the Parliament to formally recognise legal predator control as an act of conservation benefitting ground nesting birds.
For more about this Petition and to SIGN, visit:
https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2035
