12 April 2013

Discussing Scotland's environmental futures

* Event Tuesday 16th April - organised by 5 Million Questions and Scottish Constitutional Futures Forum

How would independence affect how environmental matters are governed in Scotland? That question will be posed at a public event in Dundee next week featuring experts on environmental law.

Environmental matters cut across governmental boundaries in many ways. The authorities in Scotland are already responsible for many environmental issues, so constitutional change may seem to make little difference. Similarly, the powers in Scotland are limited by the extent to which environmental law comes from the European Union, so that even with independence the scope for Scotland to go its own distinct way would be significantly constrained.

Yet the granting of more powers to Scotland would produce a profound change in the range of mechanisms available to address environmental issues and create significant new legal, administrative and regulatory challenges.

"Like so many other issues, how we deal with environmental matters and the law around them could be substantially affected by a change in Scotland's constitutional status or our relationship with Europe," said Colin Reid, Professor of Environmental Law at the University of Dundee.

"There is also the question of whether the rights people might enjoy under a new constitution for Scotland should include the right to a clean environment, and what that would mean in practice."

The 'Environmental Futures' event takes place on Tuesday April 16th from 2pm to 5pm in the Dalhousie Building at the University of Dundee.

The event is organised by the Scottish Constitutional Futures Forum and the University of Dundee's '5 Million Questions' project.

The event will feature a series of brief presentations followed by an open discussion with the chance to debate the topics mentioned and to raise further matters with the panellists. The event will close with a wine reception.

Professor Andrea Ross from the University's School of Law will be convener. Panel members and their area of discussion are:

• Professor Colin T. Reid (University of Dundee) - What would independence mean for Scotland's environmental law?
• Richard D. Leslie and Kishwar Sarwar (Tods Murray LLP) - A practitioner's viewpoint
• Professor Christopher Spray (University of Dundee) - The Tweed as an international river basin
• Professor Greg Lloyd (University of Ulster) - Green taxation in an independent nation

The event is free but anyone wishing to attend should register their interest with Mrs. Vikki Watson at the School of Law - v.a.watson@dundee.ac.uk; tel. 01382 384459.

For further information on the Scottish Constitutional Futures Forum see: www.scottishconstitutionalfutures.org.

For further information on 5 Million Questions see: www.fivemillionquestions.org.

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07800 581902