Get the latest from Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Mark Ruskell

Urgent call for renewable heating to tackle climate emergency

Mon 12 Aug, 2019

The Scottish Greens have called for urgent action to transform the way Scottish homes are heated amid the climate emergency.

With most buildings in Scotland - including the majority of new houses - relying on fossil fuels to keep warm, Scottish Green energy spokesperson Mark Ruskell has written to Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse calling for action.

Heat accounts for half of Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions from energy use and a failure to act swiftly would not meet the challenge of the climate emergency. Targets on heat in the 2009 Climate Bill have not been met.

Levenmouth line to reopen

Thu 8 Aug, 2019

Responding to the news that the Levenmouth Rail Line is to reopen Fife’s Green MSP Mark Ruskell said:

“This announcement is fantastic news for Levenmouth and the East of Fife, and credit must be given to the passionate local campaign who have effectively demonstrated the transformative impact a railway line would have on the local community.

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.