Get the latest from Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Mark Ruskell

Scottish Government must act on Attenborough warnings

Thu 17 Sep, 2020

The Scottish Government has been urged to step up to protect Scotland’s nature in the wake of the harrowing ‘Extinction’ documentary by veteran conservationist Sir David Attenborough. 

The impactful programme warned that an eighth of the planet’s species are at risk, and the situation is getting worse.

Scottish Green environment spokesperson Mark Ruskell raised Sir David’s urgent call for action to governments at First Minister’s Questions in the Scottish Parliament.

WWF report must be wake up call for Scottish Government

Fri 11 Sep, 2020

A new report by the WWF showing the alarming decline in wildlife populations must be a ‘wake up call’ to the Scottish Government, the Scottish Greens have said.

The global report reveals global numbers of mammals, birds, fish and insects have fallen by two-thirds since 1970, including a drastic decline in numbers of the Arctic Skua in Orkney.

 Scotland must resist Tory race to the bottom

Thu 10 Sep, 2020

Scotland must resist taking part in a Tory race to the bottom through a deregulated Brexit, the Scottish Greens have said.

The comments came as the Scottish Government vowed to refuse consent for the highly controversial UK Internal Markets Bill, which will grant UK ministers a veto over any devolved area.

Park of Keir: Planning minister must reject application 

Mon 31 Aug, 2020

Save Park of Keir!

Scottish Greens Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Mark Ruskell has called on the Scottish Government to throw out an unsuitable planning application for an area of greenbelt between Dunblane and Bridge of Allan that was controversially conditionally approved three years ago today (30 August). 

Agriculture Bill fails to set Scotland on a positive path

Wed 26 Aug, 2020

Scottish Greens Food and Farming Spokesperson Mark Ruskell MSP said: 

Grouse moor report shows industry out of control

Fri 14 Aug, 2020

A new field study into the impact of grouse moors on Scotland’s wildlife is shocking and shows an industry out of control, the Scottish Greens have said.

Mossmorran power cut raised in parliament

Fri 14 Aug, 2020

Emergency flaring at the Mossmorran gas plant in Fife following Tuesday’s lightning storm has been raised at the Scottish Parliament by the Scottish Greens MSP for Fife Mark Ruskell.

A power dip during Tuesday’s severe storm caused a process upset at both Shell’s NGL site and ExxonMobil’s ethylene plant which led to elevated flaring, smoke and vibrations.

Regulator SEPA, which has already referred Exxon Mobil to the Crown Office for a separate incident, has deployed officers to the area to assess impacts on the community.

Poisoning of White-Tailed Eagle reveals need for reform

Wed 29 Jul, 2020

The revelation that a White-Tailed eagle found dead in the Cairngorms is found to have been poisoned shows the Scottish Government must go further to tackle wildlife crime around grouse moors, Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell has said.

Police Scotland have confirmed the satellite tracked bird had been poisoned with pesticide as they investigate the crime.

Greens environment spokesperson Mark Ruskell is the species champion for the White-Tailed eagle, also known as the sea eagle, of which there are only around 150 breeding pairs in Scotland.

Its time for better buses says Ruskell.

Wed 29 Jul, 2020

Its time for better buses says Ruskell. As public transport timetables return to normal, Green MSP Mark Ruskell has launched a survey for bus users in Fife, Perth & Kinross and Clackmannanshire.

This follows on from a similar survey in nearby Stirling which showed a high level of dissatisfaction with bus services there.

Exxonmobil seek eight-month delay to Mossmorran noise reduction improvements

Mon 27 Jul, 2020

Exxonmobil want to delay vital improvements at the Mossmorran plant in Fife designed to reduce the noise pollution suffered by local residents for eight months, the Scottish Greens have learned.

Communities in Cowdenbeath and nearby have suffered noise, light and air pollution for several years during flaring episodes which burns excess gas as a safety measure and can be seen right across Eastern Scotland. The operator has been given several warnings about the episodes by the regulator SEPA, who referred one incident to the courts.