Robin Harper MSP will today visit Cramond Beach in Edinburgh to support the Adopt a Beach clean-up organised by the Marine Conservation Society.
Robin Harper MSP this week lodged a Parliamentary motion urging MSPs not to ignore the plight of Scotland’s seas by urging the Scottish Government to develop a Scottish Marine Bill as a matter of urgency.
Robin Harper said
“Beach clean-ups always attract a good turnout proving that people value and appreciate their local marine environment and wildlife. It’s a fun and worthwhile event that encourages everyone to do their bit to look after their environment.”
“The Scottish Government has made no commitment to introduce a Scottish Marine Bill in the next 12 months. A Bill needs to be developed as a matter of urgency to ensure that our marine environment is protected for future generations.”
Adopt-a-Beach and Beachwatch are coastal environmental initiatives organised by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), involving local individuals, groups and communities in caring for their coastal environment.
Robin Harper said
“There is an estimated 46,000 pieces of plastic in each a square mile of ocean, 100,000 marine mammals die each year because of plastic. A huge proportion of this is thrown of ships or blown off the land and beaches, as if the threat of climate change is not enough our thoughtless dropping of litter not just on beaches but on the streets of our cities is seriously damaging our marine environment with a threat which does not bio-degrade or sink or go away. If we don’t change our ways in 40 years time there could be as much as 100,000 bits of plastic per square mile of ocean. This is why it is so important to keep drawing attention to the problem and I commend the MSC and Beachwatch for the work they do every year.”
Greens have been at the forefront of campaigning to block the ship-to-ship oil transfer threat in the Firth of Forth and successfully persuaded the SNP government to improve the law governing the assessment of major projects that threaten
valuable marine areas.
Robin Harper - MSP for the Lothians 