Moray Council should declare a “nature emergency” in order to help protect the region’s plants, animals and ecosystems, a Green councillor says.
Draeyk Van Der Horn, the first Scottish Green councillor elected in Moray, says the local authority should be doing more to address issues like biodiversity.
The best way to achieve this, he argues, is by voting for a “nature emergency” at a full meeting of Moray Council today.
Mr Van Der Horn says the move would help Moray “show leadership”, the region would be “drawing a line in the sand”.
What would be the point of Moray Council declaring a nature emergency?
Mr Van Der Horn, who represents Forres, said his motion to declare a nature emergency would be similar to the council’s decision to declare a climate emergency in June 2019.
He is asking fellow councillors to recognise “the current state of nature, its inherent value in society, and the crucial role its recovery and restoration will play in realising climate targets”.
If approved, Mr Van Der Horn hopes his motion will encourage the council to better- consider the needs of the natural world when making decisions on things like planning applications and infrastructure projects.
He said: “For example, we are renewing our woodland strategy for Moray, and one of the things to note is that only a small percentage of our woodland is native woodland.
“So, post-nature emergency declaration, if we are considering a planning application, there would hopefully be more emphasis on protecting those native trees.”
Mr Van Der Horn also hopes that a nature emergency declaration could bring about a more widespread return of Speyside’s iconic red squirrel, a much-loved local species school children have told him they now hardly ever see.
Protecting nature and achieving net zero targets ‘are inextricably linked’
The councillor argues his motion, to be seconded by SNP councillor Juli Harris, will also assist Moray in reaching its net zero greenhouse gas reduction targets.
The local authority aims to cut its carbon emissions to net zero by 2030, which means it would offset at least as much carbon as it produces.
It has so far recorded a 17% decrease in greenhouse gas generated between 2019/20 and 2020/21, and Mr Van Der Horn thinks addressing problems with nature and biodiversity could help with this.
He said: “We’re trying to rescue the planet, safeguarding biodiversity is an efficient way to control carbon emissions.
“Everywhere, councils are declaring a climate emergency, but what about nature?
“The two are inextricably linked.
“We get focused on net zero, on climate change reduction.
“And they are important, but we mustn’t forget that climate change and the impact on nature go hand-in-hand.”
Conversation