Mark Ruskell MSP

Mid Scotland and Fife

Climate, Energy, Environment, Food & Farming

Mark Ruskell was re-elected as an MSP in May 2016, having served Mid Scotland and Fife between 2003 and 2007, during which time he served on the environment committee, introduced legislative proposals on climate targets and GM crops. In this session he is a member of the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform committee. He has been a councillor on Stirling Council since 2012. Outside of politics Mark has managed community development projects, worked in the renewables sector and for conservation bodies in Scotland. He lives near Doune with his young family.

Mark Ruskell wins Parliamentarian of the Month award for animal cruelty questions

Tue 9 Jul, 2019

Mark Ruskell has picked up an award for holding Michael Gove to account on post-Brexit regulation of chemical substances to make sure animals aren’t needlessly being subjected to testing.

The ‘parliamentarian of the month’ award from animal NGO Cruelty Free International comes after the Scottish Greens MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife raised the issue in the Scottish Parliament.

Extreme weather shows need for action

Fri 28 Jun, 2019

Scotland’s flash flooding and Europe-wide warning of a dangerous heatwave show the need for real action on climate change, Scottish Greens MSP Mark Ruskell has said.

The party’s environment spokesperson won concessions from the Scottish Government this week as the Climate Change (Emissions Reductions Targets) (Scotland) Bill passes through parliament.

Greens call for climate action plan for farming

Tue 18 Jun, 2019

Scottish Greens Farming Spokesperson Mark Ruskell MSP will today (18 Jun) bring forward amendments to the Climate Change Bill to create a new action plan to tackle emissions from farming as part of the climate emergency.

The system currently used to calculate Scotland’s climate change emissions separates agriculture from land use, meaning farming often is credited for emissions from agriculture, but not the positive sequestering effect of good land management and forestry, which also takes place on our farms.

Mark Ruskell MSP said:

"World leader" misses climate targets two years in a row

Tue 11 Jun, 2019

New figures released by the Scottish Government today show that Scotland failed to meet its Greenhouse gas emission targets in 2016 and 2017.

The failure to meet this legislative target was driven largely by the emissions trading scheme, an arrangement whereby permits are issued to businesses and then traded, but they count towards Scotland’s target regardless.

Scottish Greens Environment and Climate Spokesperson Mark Ruskell MSP said:

Ruskell calls for Equalities Impact Assessment for Mossmorran

Wed 5 Jun, 2019

Fife’s Green MSP Mark Ruskell has called on the Scottish Government to ensure an equalities impact assessment is included in any investigations into the Fife Ethylene Plant at Mossmorran, to take into account the experiences of people with autism who live around the plant.

SALMON: GREENS CALL FOR REVIEW OF EXISTING FARMS

Wed 5 Jun, 2019

Scottish Greens have called for existing salmon farms to be reviewed under new regulations announced this week, which are designed to address the industry’s widespread environmental failures.

Fisheries Minister Fergus Ewing today updated the Scottish Parliament on the new regulatory framework adopted by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), but Mark Ruskell MSP, the Scottish Greens environmental spokesperson, said new modelling to determine where it is safe to locate new sites should also be applied to existing fish farms.

Six reasons why these MSPs got it wrong on Safer Streets

Mark Ruskell MSP Mon 3 Jun, 2019

The Scottish Parliament's Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee released today it’s Stage 1 Report on my Safer Streets Bill to make 20mph the default speed limit on streets where we live, work and play.

The report concluded that while 20mph brings a number of health, liveability, placemaking and active travel benefits, and has no negative impact on air pollution or journey times that they do not recommend the general principles of the bill.

Greens call for rail expansion

Wed 29 May, 2019

Scottish Greens are calling on communities across Scotland to apply for new local rail funding to help tackle the climate emergency.

Tory MSP seeks amendment to transport bill for his own car

Tue 21 May, 2019

Motoring enthusiast and Tory MSP Murdo Fraser has lodged an amendment to the Transport Bill which would exclude his own classic car from low emission zone legislation.

Mr Fraser’s amendment would provide an exemption for cars over constructed over 30 years ago despite the far greater emissions from older vehicles. [2]

Tackling emissions from petrol and diesel powered vehicles is a key part of reducing air pollution and addressing the climate emergency.

Climate must be at heart of future budgets

Tue 14 May, 2019

The Scottish Greens will not support future Scottish Government budgets unless Ministers prioritise tackling the climate emergency in all policy areas, according to the party’s Climate Spokesperson Mark Ruskell MSP.

Responding to a statement for the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change in parliament, this afternoon Mr Ruskell welcomed the Scottish Government’s movement on the issues, but highlighting that action cannot wait.

Mark Ruskell MSP said: