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The environmental status of South Lanarkshire is in a good place

The environmental status of South Lanarkshire is in a good place

South Lanarkshire's environmental status is 'in a good state'

A recent report found that South Lanarkshire’s environment is in a generally good condition.

The South Lanarkshires Environment Report 2021 was presented to the Executive Committee on March 2. It was revealed that the majority of key indicators are improving.

The report includes 55 key indicators which measure the area’s environment. The indicators are then classified as either good, fair, or poor. A majority of South Lanarkshire’s indicators were good.

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Each category of the report shows the progress of indicators. They can be broken down into improving or unchanged or deteriorating.

The majority of indicators in the report were rated as good, with 24 equating roughly to 43.6 percent.

The total number of indicators that are improving is 12. This includes an increase of life expectancy and councils renewable power capacity, a decrease vacant and degraded land, traffic congestion, and a reduction in greenhouse gases emissions.

Seven indicators were not changed from the previous year’s report. These included traffic growth and various historical and cultural assets.

Five indicators indicate a trend toward decline. These indicators include waste management, complaints regarding noise and odour, as well as the number of rail passengers using stations in the area. These declines are being attributed largely to Covid-19.

23 indicators fell within the fair category, which represents 41.8 percent. Seven indicators have an improving trend, which covers improvements in woodlands, greenspace, recreational land, and local air quality.

11 indicators are in the fair category. This is due largely to stabilised environmental issues like energy consumption.

Five indicators have fallen into the “poor” category. These include a decrease in bus usage, environmental deprivation, recreation, and an increase in noise complaints.

Only eight out of 55 indicators fell into the poor category, which is 14.6 percent.

Three indicators that are considered poor are improving: an increase in active travel, long-range pollutants originating from outside South Lanarkshire, and flood risks.

Four indicators remain the same, they relate to traffic emissions, early and premature deaths from coronary heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

One indicator in the Poor category represents a declining trend. It is the number of alcohol-specific deaths that have significantly increased since last year’s Report.

The Environment Assessment (Scotland), Act, 2005, required all councils to conduct Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs), of all plans, policies, and programmes.

The report identifies a number of SEA environmental concerns, including population and health, biodiversity, fauna, flora, and waste.

These issues are used to help the Council assess the environment in South Lanarkshire.

These key indicators help identify areas where environmental issues can be improved.

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