West Lothian Council

Council agrees to declare a Nature Emergency. Recognising the currentstate of nature and our dependence on the natural world in providingcrucial ecosystem services. It is proposed this declaration sit alongsidethe Council’s Climate Emergency (2019) declaration. Given theinterconnectedness of climate change as one of the main factors inbiodiversity loss council agrees there is an urgent need to act in favour ofnature recovery and restoration to help address the issue and meet keytargets.Council is asked to note that there is a large body of evidence highlightingan alarming degree of biodiversity loss throughout the world:x State of Nature Report, Scotland 2019:https://www.nature.scot/doc/state-nature-scotland-report-2019 “theabundance and distribution of Scotland’s species has on averagedeclined over recent decades and most measures indicate thisdecline has continued in the most recent decade.”x WWF Living Planet Report 2022: https://livingplanet.panda.org/enGB/ “global wildlife populations have plummeted by 69% onaverage since 1970”x The PREDICTS (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity inChanging Terrestrial Systems) team at the Natural History Museumhas calculated a global Biodiversity Intactness Index (BII) to assesseach area’s biodiversity. A BII of 90% or more means the area hasenough biodiversity to be a resilient and functioning ecosystem.Under 90%, biodiversity loss means ecosystems may function lesswell and less reliably. If the BII is 30% or less, the area'sbiodiversity has been depleted and the ecosystem could be at riskof collapse. The UK has a BII of 53%, which is in the bottom 10percent globally. https://www.nhm.ac.uk/ourscience/data/biodiversity-indicators.htmlCouncil agrees that nature has an intrinsic value to humans, and plays anintegral role in our culture and society, our health, wellbeing, andeconomy, this being demonstrated through literature, music, art,placemaking, green prescribing, scientific research, food, energy, waterregulation, air quality regulation, etc.Nature plays a key role in meeting climate targets, with respect to adaptation, resilience and mitigation.The final decision text at COP 27 recognises the interlinked crises ofclimate change and biodiversity loss, and recognises the “vital importanceof protecting, conserving, restoring and sustainably using nature andecosystems for effective and sustainable climate action”https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/cma2022_L21_revised_adv.pdf.Council notes that the revised national Scottish Biodiversity Strategy(draft) and upcoming Natural Environment Bill will provide statutory targetsfor public bodies, including local authorities, will require them to meet thechallenges of the nature crisis.The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) agreed atCOP15 in December 2022, presents 23 global biodiversity targets withlong term goals including maintaining, enhancing or restoring “the integrity,connectivity and resilience of all ecosystems, substantially increasing thearea of natural ecosystems by 2050”; and “Biodiversity is sustainably usedand managed and nature’s contributions to people, including ecosystemfunctions and services, are valued, maintained and enhanced, with thosecurrently in decline being restored, supporting the achievement ofsustainable development, for the benefit of present and future generationsby 2050.The key role of subnational governments and local communities inrealising delivery of the GBF over the coming decade is acknowledged inthe Edinburgh Declaration, signed on behalf of West Lothian Council inNov 2021. Council has already committed to addressing the nature crisis throughsigning the Edinburgh Declaration and having established a new Ecologyand Biodiversity Team (in place since Oct 2021). This team is working withcouncil colleagues and external partners to halt biodiversity loss (thenational target is to halt loss by 2030), highlight and prevent wildlife crime,enforce the mitigation hierarchy in development, ensure space for naturethrough updated policies and spatial plans, and enrich biodiversity throughthe protection of species and habitats and through the creation of naturenetworks. A new 10-year Local Biodiversity Action Plan is underway,which we plan to publish at the end of 2023, helping us to attain thenational target of restoring and improving biodiversity (in comparison with1990 levels) by 2045.Council further agrees that in declaring a Nature Emergency shows WestLothian Councils recognition of the current state of nature and its inherentvalue, as well as our continued commitment to aiding in the recovery andrestoration of the natural environment to help realise our climate targets.Council agrees to incorporate the ‘Declaration of Nature Emergency’ intothe workings and reports to the Environment PDSP.”

— Full Council (Source)