Scottish Government

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Sustainable Development

Statutory Guidance to SEPA made under Section 31 of the Environment Act 1995

Footnotes

¹ Carrying capacity can be defined as "a quantitative assessment of one or more pollutants below which significant harmful effects on sensitive elements of the environment do not occur". It must be understood as a dynamic concept, subject to modification as scientific understanding changes.

² The precautionary principle was adopted by the UN Conference on the Environment and Development in 1992. The first sentence repeats the EEA definition. The Sustainable Development Commission definition is more or less identical.

³ and further developments of these principles.

⁴ Meeting the Needs …. Priorities Actions and Targets for Sustainable Development in Scotland http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/rural/mtnsd-00.asp

⁵ Indicators of sustainable development in Scotland http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/environment/sdin-00.asp

⁶ Scottish Executive Policy Priorities for SEPA, Issue 4, October 2004 http://sh45inta/library5/environment/ppsepa-00.asp?mode=view

⁷ SEPA Corporate Plan http://www.sepa.org.uk/publications/corporateplan/index.htm

⁸ SEPA Management Statement http://www.scotland.gov.uk/government/publicbodies/guidance/sepams.pdf

⁹ ILGRA Guidance http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/meetings/ilgra/pppa.htm

¹⁰ Scottish biodiversity webpages http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/ERAD/CANH/CF/00015021/SBS.aspx

¹¹ Framework for Economic Development in Scotland: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/government/fedsm-00.asp