Upon the introduction of
devolved government the environment and built heritage were not listed as
reserved issues, and so for the most part conservation is the responsibility of the
Scottish Parliament, the
Scottish Government, and the
public bodies that report to them. Although originally reserved, responsibility for all planning and nature conservation matters at sea up to 200 miles from the Scottish coast was transferred to the Scottish Government in 2008.[1] Some matters related to conservation, such as international treaties and border controls on prohibited species, remain the responsibility of the
UK Government.
Cultural Heritage is the responsibility of the Culture, Tourism and Major Events Directorate.[5]
Scottish ministers
Three
Cabinet Secretaries hold portfolios with responsibility for conservation issues:
The
Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport has ministerial responsibility for many conservation issues, including cross-government co-ordination of Net Zero policy,
climate crisis and environmental protection, biodiversity, sustainable development, renewable energy, energy and energy consents, flood prevention and coastal erosion, and water quality.[6]