Nature Bill shows Greens delivering action for Scotland’s wildlife
Scottish Greens MSPs have pointed to major progress in the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill as proof that Green influence delivers real change for Scotland’s wildlife, as the Bill heads into its final Stage 3 debate today at Holyrood.
The Bill, which was a commitment made when the Scottish Greens were in government, was designed to respond to Scotland’s nature emergency by introducing legally binding biodiversity targets and stronger protections for the natural environment. Without Green influence the legislation would not have been brought forward.
A key Scottish Green amendment, lodged by Mark Ruskell MSP, will require building regulations to be improved so that new buildings have to include nesting bricks for swifts and other small birds, embedding nature recovery directly into the way Scotland builds homes, schools and workplaces.
Swift bricks are small, purpose-designed nesting spaces for birds built directly into the fabric of a building, providing safe, permanent homes for swift birds in modern developments. Commons swifts are migratory birds in serious decline, and are reliant on buildings for breeding and were added to the UK Red List for conservation status in 2021.
Scottish Green MSPs also removed dangerous powers from the Bill that would have allowed government ministers to weaken habitats and environmental protection law behind closed doors, ensuring that future governments cannot roll back on hard-won safeguards for nature.
As the Bill moves into its final stage, the Scottish Greens say it shows how their presence in Parliament turns ambition into action, building on their work to establish a Nature Restoration Fund which has supported crucial projects all over Scotland.
Mark Ruskell MSP said:
“The Greens helped get this Bill into Parliament, now it’s time for action to restore nature for good.
“The swift population has fallen by around two thirds since the mid-1990s, largely because modern buildings no longer provide nesting sites which swifts need to breed. The solution is incredibly simple. It is literally a brick with a hole in it and costs around £30, and once it’s built in, it’s there for decades.
“My proposals will require Ministers to change regulations so that new buildings include nesting spaces for swifts as a standard feature, just like insulation or fire safety.
“This is what practical, common-sense nature recovery looks like. It doesn’t block housebuilding, it doesn’t add red tape, and it doesn’t push up costs in any meaningful way. It just makes sure that when we build new homes and workplaces, we leave space for wildlife too.
“It is also important that this Bill is about restoring nature, not giving Ministers the power to tear up protections. That’s why another Green amendment prevents giving Scottish Government ministers sweeping powers to rewrite or weaken habitats behind closed doors, ensuring that no government runs roughshod over our nature protections.
“Throughout this Bill we have applied our commitment to strong protections, real accountability, and practical action people can see in their own towns and cities. That is what Greens in Parliament actually achieve, a win for nature.
“The Scottish Greens will always protect Scotland’s nature laws, delivering real, visible improvements on the ground, putting people right at the heart.”