Scottish Government

2. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT

Relationship with other plans, programmes or strategies ( PPS) and environmental objectives

2.1 The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 requires that the Environmental Report includes an outline of the relationships between the RAP and other relevant plans, programmes or strategies ( PPS). It is particularly important to consider how environmental protection objectives should be taken into account in the preparation of the policy.

2.2 This section summarises these issues and describes the policy context within which the RAP will operate, and the constraints and targets that this context imposes.

2.3 The plans, programmes, strategies and their environmental objectives, which together form the context for this SEA, are summarised in Table 3 below.

Table 3: Summary of key relevant environmental objectives

Environmental baseline

2.4 The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 Schedule 3 requires that the Environmental Report includes a description of the relevant aspects of the current state of the environment and the likely evolution thereof without implementation of the PPS, and "the environmental characteristics of areas likely to be significantly affected." This section therefore begins to describe the environmental context within which the RAP will operate and the constraints and targets that this context infers.

2.5 In order to define the current state of the environment with a view to informing the SEA, the review has focused on thematic information, with more detailed spatial analysis not having been necessary given the thematic and high level character of the RAP itself. Much of the relevant environmental information was referred to within the RAP Consultation Document that was published in 2008. The following data sources have been used to inform the assessment.

Table 3: Baseline data sources

2.6 Sufficient data was available to allow for accurate and comprehensive characterisation of the environmental baseline and this information was used to directly inform the assessment. The following paragraphs describe the current state of Scotland's environment, in terms of issues which are most likely to be significantly affected by the RAP.

Climatic Factors

Climate change and its environmental effects

2.7 The long-term increase in temperatures in the UK and Scotland has accelerated over the past three years, and "there is now evidence that human activities are having a discernable impact on the global climate."¹⁴ The UKCIP02 ¹⁵ climate change scenarios predict that by the 2080s temperatures will rise by up to 3.5 ^o in the summer and 2.5 ^o in the winter, and that there will also be changes in precipitation, snowfall (up to a 90% reduction), seasonality, cloud cover, humidity, wind speeds, soil moisture, extreme weather (especially changes in rainfall) and sea levels as a result of climate change. Spatial patterns of climate change within Scotland are predicted to vary. For example, summer rainfall is expected to reduce by 10% in most of the country except the north west, and much more substantial increases in spring and autumn rainfall in the south west and north east of the country are envisaged. Further evidence of Scottish climate change has been provided in research by SNIFFER. ¹⁶ This includes data showing a 25% reduction in frost days since 1961, a shorter snow season and a lengthened growing season. Many of these trends appear to be most significant in north and west regions of Scotland.

2.8 A wide range of environmental resources are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. For example, the RSPB recently provided an introduction to emerging research on the ability of birds in Europe to adapt to climate change. ¹⁷ Similarly recent research has emerged from Forest Research. ¹⁸ This predicts significant landscape and biodiversity changes leading to the use of new species and structures of woodland planting. Whilst productivity of forestry is expected to increase, the suitability and resilience of different tree species will change, and there will be growing threats to woodlands from drought, insect, disease and wind damage. The research supports the broader Forestry Commission target of increasing forestry coverage of Scotland from 17% to 25% by 2050, as a means of reducing woodland fragmentation and supporting habitat networks.

2.9 The Marine Climate Change Impacts Project report for 2007-2008 showed that 2006 was the second warmest year in UK coastal waters since records began in 1870. Seven of the ten warmest years occurred in the last decade. ¹⁹ There are predictions of fewer, but more severe storms for coastal areas and an increase in coastal erosion with implications for 12% of Scotland's coastline. Climate change is likely to reduce the breeding success and survival of some seabirds, whilst there has been an increase in the abundance of some warm water invertebrates and alga that have extended their range to parts of Northern Scotland. Lower rates of sea level rise are predicted for Scotland as compared to the more significant issues arising for the south of England. They are currently expected to be confined to 0-60cm by 2080.

Energy

2.10 The energy sector accounts for a large share of climate change causing emissions. Statistics show that since 1990 net greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland have decreased by 13.4%. In 2006 around 80% of emissions were CO2 whilst other greenhouse gases ( GHGs) accounted for the remaining 20%. The former decreased between 1990 and 2006 by 6.8%, compared with a decline of 31.9% of other GHGs. There was a 5.4% increase in net GHG emissions between 2005 and 2006. In 2006, Scotland's major power stations and energy intensive industrial installations accounted for around 40% of Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions, and fall within the scope of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, often described as the traded sector. Transport generated around 25% with heat accounting for 16%, of which domestic heat made up almost 13%.

2.11 As an end-use, it is estimated that heat currently accounts for around 50 per cent of total energy consumption in Scotland, with a broadly even split of the remaining 50 per cent between transport and electricity. This demonstrates the significance of the proposed additional policies that relate specifically to heat.

2.12 As outlined in the Scottish Government is committed to working towards the achievement of 20% of total energy use coming from renewables in 2020. To achieve this objective, individual 2020 targets for renewable electricity, heat and transport have bee put in place:

• Electricity: Achieve 50% of gross electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2020, with an interim target of 31% by 2011. In 2007, renewable electricity generation accounted for 20.1% per cent of gross electricity consumption in Scotland.
• Transport: To achieve a 10% target for renewable transport by 2020, in alignment with a mandatory 10% EU target set for each Member State. It is estimated that renewable transport fuels accounted for around 1% of fuel consumption in 2007.
• Heat: 11% of heat usage to be supplied from renewable sources by 2020. It is estimated that renewable heat currently accounts for 1.4% of forecast total heat consumption in 2020

2.13 Taking into account the environmental baseline and review of existing environmental objectives, the key questions to be considered under this heading are:

• Will the plan contribute to climate change mitigation by helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
• Will the plan help to achieve adaptation to climate change?

Air

2.14 Air pollution can have repercussions for many aspects of quality of life, including human health and biodiversity. Air quality objectives outlined in the Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been met over much of the country, but there are still a number of pollution hotspots in some urban areas where objectives for nitrogen dioxide and particles continue to be exceeded. In Scotland, the energy sector and transport are the key sources of air pollution.

2.15 Local Air Quality Management Areas ( AQMAs) have been declared in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Dundee, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow, Midlothian, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire. ²⁰ All but two of these have been declared as a result of transport related emissions of nitrogen dioxide and/or particles. The local authorities concerned are developing action plans outlining how they intend to tackle the issues identified. Further advice on air quality and planning can be found in the Local Air Quality Management Policy Guidance published by the Scottish Government in February 2009:

2.16 Taking into account the environmental baseline and review of existing environmental objectives, the key questions to be considered under this heading are:

• Will the plan have adverse effects on air quality?
• Is the plan likely to have any specific implications for existing AQMAs?

Population and health

2.17 Air pollution reduces average life expectancy ²¹ and is estimated to result in more than 32,000 deaths annually in the UK. Asthma and wheezing problems are persistent and more prevalent in deprived households in Scotland. ²² The RAP is also potentially relevant to the well being of the population more generally, with the renewables sector as a whole having the potential to help provide a more diverse and affordable supply of energy. A household is considered to be in fuel poverty where 10% or more of household income is spent in fuel. This is a significant problem in Scotland.

2.18 Taking into account the environmental baseline and review of existing environmental objectives, the key questions to be considered under this heading are:

• Will the plan avoid generating adverse effects on health arising from environmental pollution?
• Will the plan support the broader aim of reducing fuel poverty?

Biodiversity, flora and fauna

2.19 Of the UKBAP priority habitats and species found in Scotland, in 2005 around 33% of habitats and 32% of species were stable or are improving, whilst 30% of habitats and 14% of species were in decline ²³. The condition of the remainder was unknown, unclear or fluctuating. SNH undertakes monitoring of the condition of Scotland's designated sites. Figures produced in 2006 ²⁴ show that 71% of the sites monitored were found to be in favourable or 'unfavourable recovering' condition. Further restoration and enhancement will therefore be required to meet the stated targets of achieving favourable condition in 80% of sites by 2008 and 95% by 2010.

2.20 SEPA provided further information on the current state of Scottish biodiversity in its 2006 State of the Environment Report. It noted that climate change is already having an impact on biodiversity, and that other processes including urbanisation, land use change and the spread of non-native species will make it difficult to reach stated biodiversity targets. ²⁵SNH's natural heritage trends reports identified loss of neutral grassland, particularly in the uplands and islands, dwarf shrub heath, acid grassland and bog as key problems. This was confirmed by the broader Countryside Survey 2003, which monitored change in groups of habitats between 1990 and 1998, and showed that there was a substantial decrease in semi natural habitats in Scotland in this period (-88,000 hectares).

2.21 Climate change is likely to exacerbate established pressures on biodiversity resources, and therefore has the potential to increasingly compromise site based conservation measures. As a result, there has been a growing emphasis on the development of broader scale measures for protection and conservation including the commitment in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to removing barriers to species movement and dispersal and positively improving connections between habitats. Data gathered for UKCIP under the MONARCH project ²⁶ provide further insights into the likely repercussions of climate change for the natural environment. Although it is predicted that most species will find 'suitable climate space' when climate change affects their habitats, the northern range margins of species are predicted to move northwards, and some species will take over areas where others had previously been important (e.g. spread of bracken and western gorse into montane / upland heath habitats). The Central Highlands was one of four case studies for this research, demonstrating problems such as loss of suitable climate space for dwarf shrub land cover and, conversely, a large increase in the area which is suitable for neutral grassland. The modelling also showed that changes affecting the canopy and ground flora will have eventual implications for the composition and structure of the woodland.

2.22 Taking into account the environmental baseline and review of existing environmental objectives, the key questions to be considered under this heading are:

• Will the plan have effects on protected sites or species?
• Will the plan impact on wider habitat networks including woodlands?

Soil

2.23 Scotland's soils are diverse and differ markedly from the rest of the UK. Soils provide a range of services, acting as a carbon sink, supporting agriculture, contributing to water quality and flow, and sustaining landscape character and biodiversity. The Scottish Soil Framework summarises research in 2006 ²⁷ prioritising challenges to soil in Scotland as follows:

1. Climate change and loss of organic matter are the most significant threats to the functioning of Scottish soils.

2. Construction (sealing), loss of biodiversity and acidifying and eutrophying deposition also represent significant threats to soil function.

3. Threats most commonly associated with cultivation (erosion, loss of structure, compaction) were not considered to present particularly high risks at a national scale. However, these can be locally significant, for example in peatland areas or those rich in known and unknown archaeological features as well as impacting on water quality.

4. Threats from contamination by heavy metals or by land management were also noted, but regarded as more locally significant than a national issue.

2.24 The biodiversity of Scotland's soils was described in the 2006 research (Towers et al, 2006) as a 'true scientific frontier'. It is widely recognised that some specifically Scottish habitats, such as Scots pine woodland, machair and deep peat have unique soil characteristics. Some soil organisms are included within BAPs as protected species, including fungi and ephemeral soil dwellers, but much more research is required to allow the ecological value of soil in Scotland to be fully understood.

2.25 Soils form an important and integral element of landscapes, with varying soil properties supporting different patterns of vegetation. Damage to soil, particularly that caused by changes to moisture content, contamination and invasive species will have repercussions for both biodiversity and landscape ²⁸ and there is also growing concern that these problems could be exacerbated by climate change. Linking with air pollution issues, acidification and nutrient enrichment continue to affect both soil and water resources, and this in turn can have significant repercussions for biodiversity. Although key pollutants are in decline, ²⁹ acidification is particularly problematic in upland areas including the small areas of the Cairngorms, Galloway and the western and central Highlands where there are also potentially high value ecosystems. SEPA has emphasised that biological recovery from acidification is slow and could be hindered to some extent by climate change as a result of the long timescales required. ³⁰

2.26 The Scottish Soil Framework Consultation Document proposed mechanisms to address the key threats to soils nationally. ³¹ Soils are closely linked with climatic conditions, and climate change will have a range of effects on its organic composition. The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology reported in 2006 ³² that 2.2 million tonnes of topsoil has been eroded in the UK, with mapping suggesting that in Scotland upland erosion is an issue in the Highlands including parts of Caithness and Sutherland, and the Cairngorms. Water erosion is a problem in the coastal parts of Tayside. It is estimated that 44% of arable land in Scotland is at risk of water erosion, and that 20% of upland peat, shallow and rocky soils are eroding. Urban soil degradation through sealing and contamination is an issue throughout the UK, with planning potentially playing a role in mitigation such as separation of construction, demolition and excavation waste and topsoil for recycling, and use of permeable paving and vegetated roods to reduce potential for flooding.

2.27 Taking into account the environmental baseline and review of existing environmental objectives, the key question to be considered under this heading are:

• Will the plan result in damage to soil, including soil sealing, erosion, pollution or nutrient depletion?

Water

2.28 Scotland's freshwater resources range from coastal rivers to standing water bodies (such as peaty lochs and lowland lochs), fen and raised bog wetlands. ³³ The water environment supports a wide range of migratory waders and wildfowl, fish, seabirds, seals, whales and dolphins. ³⁴ Marine and freshwater biodiversity has improved following the decline of heavy industry and improved regulatory regimes. However, some key species remain a concern: the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy notes that 50% of native freshwater species in Scotland were thought to have declined in 2000. Scotland's freshwater and sea lochs are internationally important in terms of biodiversity.

2.29 SEPA's draft River Basin Management Plans ( RBMPs) for the Scotland and Solway-Tweed River Basin Districts ³⁵ set out key pressures and risks on the water environment within their respective areas, including.

• Abstraction and flow regulation from a range of activities including hydropower, water supply and agriculture;
• Point and diffuse pollution from agriculture, sewage disposal, forestry, urban development, mining and quarrying and aquaculture are also recorded;
• Morphological change from agriculture and forestry;
• Non-native invasive species from recreational, sporting and leisure activities.

2.30 Scotland's coasts and seascapes are of significant value as a result of their scenic and ecological qualities. SNH note the outstanding character and great diversity of the coast, ranging from broad machair plains to shifting dunes, sandy beaches, and several hundred uninhabited islands. The rocks and landforms of the coast form important habitats and are important geological resources in their own right. Scotland's marine biodiversity is remarkably diverse, supporting many mammals including common and grey seals, whales, dolphins, harbour porpoises, otters, sharks and turtles, seabirds, and migratory bird species, and many fish species. Seabed composition and plant life and micro-organisms contribute to this diversity and richness. ³⁶

2.31 Taking into account the environmental baseline and review of existing environmental objectives, the key questions to be considered under this heading are:

• Will the plan result in acidification, eutrophication or other contamination of water bodies?
• Will the plan result in a significant depletion of water resources, through planting or abstraction required?

Material Assets: Transportation

2.32 Scotland has a lower rate of car ownership than the rest of the UK with 51 as compared to 58 vehicles per 100 population. ³⁷ The car is the mode of transport for over three quarters of total distance travelled. Travel distance overall has grown in Scotland, from an average of 4652 miles annually in 1985/6 to 7376 miles annually in 2005/6. The proportion of car use as part of the total has also grown over the same period. In terms of freight transport, 172.4 million tonnes of freight were transported by road in Scotland in 2006. This represented a steady increase between 1997 and 2006, whilst rail borne freight increased more substantially over the same period from 7.04 mtonnes in 1997 to 12.96 mtonnes in 2006. There was a steady decline in road traffic accident injuries and deaths in the same period.

2.33 Taking into account the environmental baseline and review of existing environmental objectives, the key questions to be considered under this heading are:

• Will the plan generate significant additional road based transport movements?
• Will the plan put pressure on existing transport infrastructure capacity?
• Is the plan expected to make best use of sustainable modes of transport?

Material Assets: Waste Management

2.34 SEPA's waste data digest for 2006) ³⁸ shows that total waste arising in Scotland increased in Scotland by 18% between 2004/5 and 2006/7. Of this, construction and demolition waste arisings grew most significantly, whilst growth in household waste was relatively consistent. Commercial waste arising fell in the same period, by 21%. At the same time, however, rates of recycling grew significantly between 20002/3 and 2006/7, and there were particularly high increases in recycling of some specific materials including plastics, soils and rubble, steel and aluminium cans and wood. There has also been a major increase in municipal waste which has been composted, by 420% between 2002/3 and 2006/7, with a large proportion of composted material arising from green waste. The total amount of biodegradeable waste disposed of in landfill sites (a key source of methane emissions) decreased steadily from 1.89 million tonnes in 2002/3 to 1.47 million tonnes in 2006/7, thereby exceeding national targets.

2.35 Taking into account the environmental baseline and review of existing environmental objectives, the key questions to be considered under this heading are:

• Will the plan contribute to the aim of reducing waste and / or promoting its sustainable management?

Cultural Heritage, including architectural and archaeological heritage

2.36 The historic environment can be threatened by inappropriate development; economic decline, loss of viable use, population change and neglect in general. These issues are of relevance to both designated and non-designated sites. Land use change potentially arising from renewable energy generation, biomass and biofuel planting, could have implications for the historic environment.

2.37 Scotland has five World Heritage Sites (New Lanark, Edinburgh Old and New Towns, the Heart of Neolithic Orkney, St. Kilda and most recently the Antonine Wall). There are also 47,368 listed buildings and 628 conservation areas. The actual extent of archaeological remains in Scotland is unknown, with around 8,000 Scheduled Monuments representing only a small proportion of the 260,000 sites and monuments for which there are records, and the many more unrecorded sites and unknown resources throughout the country. Scotland's heritage designations are often supported by their landscape setting, and landscapes are imbued with cultural heritage value and significance. As noted above, the EC Landscape Convention notes the importance of recognising that landscapes are a product of the relationship between people and nature.

2.38 Information produced for the Scottish Historic Environment Audit ³⁹ ( SHEA) includes a review of Ancient Woodland in Scotland, reflecting their combined cultural and natural heritage value. This draws on the Ancient Woodland Inventory compiled by SNH, which focuses on the continuing existence of woodland from 1759. At present Historic Scotland reports that there are 352,766 hectares of ancient woodland in Scotland, including ancient woodland of semi natural origin, long-established woodland of plantation origins and other (as included on the Roy map of 1750). These are distributed throughout the country, but are particularly concentrated in Lowland Scotland, and along the length of the east coast from the Lothians to the just north of the Dornoch Firth. Despite long term decline and fragmentation and their biodiversity value, ancient woodlands do not have statutory protection. However, they often overlap with other environmental protection measures such as SSSIs, allowing for ongoing monitoring of their condition in many cases and providing partial protection. They can provide uniquely diverse habitats in many cases. Planted Ancient Woodland Sites ( PAWS) are also a priority for restructuring and enhancement throughout the country, with enhancement measures being taken forward to reverse the negative effects of previous commercial conifer planting and improve their natural and cultural heritage value.

2.39 Taking into account the environmental baseline and review of existing environmental objectives, the key questions to be considered under this heading are:

• Is the plan likely to generate significant effects on the historic environment by resulting in the loss of or damage to key resources?
• Could the policy generate adverse effects on the setting of protected historic sites and buildings?
• Does the plan provide an opportunity to enhance (where appropriate) the historic environment?

Landscape

2.40 Mapping of landscape character at a national level shows the dramatic variation between mountainous moorland areas in the north and west Highlands and Islands and the southern uplands, and the rivers, valleys, hills, farmland and urban areas in the lowlands. Scotland has 40 National Scenic Areas ( NSAs) covering more than 1 million hectares (12.7% of Scotland). These areas are of the highest landscape quality, reflecting nationally significant scenic value.

2.41 The European Landscape Convention ( ELC) calls for a broader approach to landscape protection and enhancement (going beyond designated areas), and states that landscapes across Europe are being transformed as a result of a number of factors, including settlement expansion, transport and infrastructure and the economy. ⁴⁰ The Scottish Landscape Forum ⁴¹ has highlighted the following key issues for Scotland's landscapes:

• Poor settings of urban and peri-urban communities, impinging on well-being and quality of life;
• Loss of diversity in the landscape and dilution or erosion of distinctive character;
• Generally poor standards of design;
• Decline and loss of natural and cultural heritage features;
• Attrition of undeveloped, remote and wild countryside, and coasts;
• Erosion of rural character of Lowland Scotland - loss of features, intrusion of noise and artificial light reducing tranquillity, suburbanisation; and
• Direct and indirect impacts of climate change, with the latter arising from mitigation action (e.g. increased renewable energy generation).

2.42 These pressures vary between different landscape settings. Collectively, the series of landscape character assessments prepared by SNH provides a useful 'snapshot' of the characteristics of Scotland's landscapes and this is translated to a strategic level in SNH's Natural Heritage Futures Statements. As part of this, SNH prepared an assessment of Scotland's landscapes that sets out nationally significant resources, pressures and opportunities ⁴². The report notes that landscapes are constantly evolving, but that forces for change vary between gradual natural processes and human activity that results in more pronounced and often negative change. Key challenges include land use change, incremental change arising from development and changes in perceptions. The different qualities of regional landscapes are set out, and it is emphasised that some areas are much more vulnerable to specific types of change than others (e.g. transitional landscapes, strategic transport corridors etc).

2.43 Landscape vulnerability arises from a complex combination of sensitivity and distinguishing characteristics, historic and projected change and levels of activity or pressure. Further examination of these varying sensitivities and pressures for change can be used to help provide a clearer national spatial perspective on landscape management issues that can in turn inform the assessment of the REF.

2.44 SNH policy on wild land ⁴³ reflects on wildness in Scotland's countryside, and supports the policy approach within National Planning Policy Guideline ( NPPG)14, which introduced this as a nation-wide consideration for land use planning. SNH emphasises the need for a protective approach to wild land - in terms of the provisions of the planning system and in relation to broader land use. The paper distinguishes between 'wildness' - the quality enjoyed - and 'wild land' the places where wildness is best expressed. It also notes that wild land is not necessarily confined to remote areas of the north and west, also being found closer to settlements. The policy explains that experiences of wildness and wild land vary depending on individuals' experiences, perceptions and preferences, but notes that in many cases it can be inspirational as it supports feelings of engagement with nature, solitude and sanctuary and is valued as a quality in its own right. There are also strong cultural meanings and resources underlying many areas of wild land.

2.45 SNH state that the value of wild land in Scotland rests on five main factors: scarcity; intrinsic quality; potential for nature; economic and accessibility. It sets out key pressures for change, including hydropower, afforestation; bulldozed roads; and access for outdoor recreation. It maps wild land, based on areas of land which have their remotest point 2, 5 or 8km from public roads. This shows the importance of wild land in the north of Scotland (Cairngorms, the Monadhliath; Knoydart; Ben Dearg, east of Loch Broom and its hinterland, Ben Alder, the west Inverness-shire glens to Kintail block, Black Mount - Etive, and the Fisherfield Forest in Wester Ross). In the south sufficiently extensive areas of wild land are limited to the Merrick block, which has being changed by extensive afforestation. Application of more stringent criteria for defining land significantly reduces its extent. NSA designation covers most but not all of the key areas of wild land.

2.46 SNH also produced interim guidance on impact assessment in relation to Wild Land, although this is due to be updated. ⁴⁴ The guidance notes that there is increasing pressure on this diminishing resource as a result of a range of developments and land management activities. It also notes that although impact assessment guidance covers wild land to some extent, it does not reflect broader values and subjective experiences associated with wild land.

2.47 The Scottish Landscape Forum ( SLF) summarised research demonstrating the value of landscapes to Scotland. ⁴⁵ Public benefits include improved health and wellbeing, community regeneration, enjoyment and recreation, education, tourism and rural diversification. Further, the Forum emphasised the economic value of landscapes as a result of their role in stimulating investment and retaining employers and employees, and use in marketing for tourism but also in terms of traditional products.

2.48 Taking into account the environmental baseline and review of existing environmental objectives, the key questions to be considered under this heading are:

• Is the plan likely to generate adverse effects on landscapes by changing their character or visual qualities?
• Is the plan likely to affect any particularly valuable or sensitive landscapes?

Likely evolution in the absence of the RAP

2.49 In the absence of the RAP, it is expected that the existing environmental trends noted above would continue. However, although much of the RAP sets a framework for future action, it is important to note that the plan as a whole will ultimately deliver a significant shift towards increasing the share of Scotland's energy that is produced from renewable sources. In the absence of such a policy it is possible that the total contribution of renewable energy in Scotland to meeting climate change targets may not be met, with substantially reduced benefits for the environment as a whole. However, some renewable energy development may nevertheless be expected, perhaps focusing on a less diverse range of technologies than that which is supported by the RAP. Further significant effects from these ongoing development proposals are not expected, however, given that consenting and regulatory regimes already exist which should ensure that protection of environmental quality at the local level is achieved.

Summary of relevant environmental problems

2.50 It is important for the SEA of the RAP to focus on the environmental problems which are most relevant to its proposals and in particular the specific target of increasing the share of heat which is delivered by renewable technologies. Based on the evidence above, a number of key environmental problems are summarised in Table 4 below.

Table 4: Summary of environmental problems relevant to the RAP

2.51 This evaluation of the environmental context within which the RAP sits has shown that there are a range of environmental problems and policy objectives, which the plan can seek to address. The SEA has provided an opportunity to define how the content of the RAP can maximise its positive contribution to global and national objectives relating to climate change and wider environmental protection, whilst avoiding generating adverse effects on some more locally significant resources.