This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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High priority for a cleaner enviroment
21/09/2001
The Executive is committed to cleaning up the environment in the 21 st Century, First Minister Henry McLeish said today.
Great strides are being made in areas like air quality and waste management, but major challenges still lie ahead if the Executive is to meet its ambitious targets.
The First Minister was speaking at a business breakfast in Edinburgh with Margot Wallström, European Environment Commissioner, and Ross Finnie, Minister for Environment and Rural Development. It was the first visit by a European Environment Commissioner to Scotland since January 1993, when former Environment Commissioner Yannis Paleocrassas visited in the aftermath of the Braer oil disaster.
The First Minister said:
"I want to build a confident, compassionate and competitive Scotland. To achieve this, we need a coherent view of Scotland's social, economic and environmental future. That is why the Executive is committed to the promotion of sustainable development and to the protection and improvement of Scotland's environment."
Mr Finnie said:
"Real environmental progress is being made across Scotland thanks to Executive and European action but pressures on the environment are increasing and much more remains to be done. Commissioner Wallstrom's visit provides us with an excellent opportunity to highlight Scotland's commitment to, and achievements in, the environment and we look forward to working more closely with her and her officials in the future."
The First Minister continued:
"Our confident and outward-looking Scottish Executive is making a real difference to the environment in Scotland - we can and are making decisions across the whole spectrum of environmental policy - on climate change, waste, water, air, and on bio-diversity.
"We are putting in place the systems and policies - and bringing to bear the resources required - to bring about sustainable development in Scotland. I am confident that we can work with business in achieving these goals.
"The Executive is compassionate about the environment and the effect of the environment on the people of Scotland. Social Justice is at the very heart of our drive to promote sustainable development and to deliver a high quality of life for the people of Scotland.
"We want our policies on the environment to improve the lives of the people of Scotland - those communities living near landfill sites, and the people affected by air pollution. This week we announced tough new targets to cut air pollution - new targets which are ambitious but achievable. They reflect the fact that we believe everyone has the right to live in a clean, safe environment.
"And finally, competitive - sustainable development and protecting our environment is inevitably linked to the development of a Scotland which can truly compete on a global scale. But let's put the environment into its business context. Many, many businesses located here use the perception of Scotland's clean environment as a marketing tool.
"I believe the Scottish Executive and Scotland's business community can work together to improve and protect the environment. It makes sound business sense for you to do so.
"And the global market for environmental goods and services is projected to rise to a staggering £440 billion by 2010. I want business in Scotland to tap into that market - to seize the opportunity and to take a lead. I and my colleagues in the Cabinet want to build a confident, compassionate and competitive Scotland. And I want business in Scotland to be confident, compassionate and competitive too.
"That can only happen if we are able to work together to promote sustainable development in Scotland and to protect our environment. I hope that you will work with us to help bring about the Scotland that our people need and deserve."
BACKGROUND
The European Environment Commissioner was invited to Scotland by Transport Minister Sarah Boyack when she met Commissioner Wallström in 1999. This invitation was reiterated by Sam Galbraith last year. Her CV is available on-line at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/commissioners/wallstrom/cv_en.htm