Overview of the next SEPA report on the State of Scotland’s Environment and underpinning data sources Paula Woolgar, State of the Environment Reporting Manager

Objectives of Presentation  Inform and raise awareness  Highlight use of non-SEPA data sources  Establish whether there are any other suitable data sources  Receive ideas and comments (take after each section)

Why a SEPA SoE report?  Part of the process of reviewing whether meeting SEPA’s main aim “to provide an efficient and integrated environmental protection system for Scotland that will improve the environment..”  Need to know what trying to protect and the condition of the environment  Duty to form an opinion on the general state of pollution of the environment  10 years since the last one  Commitment in SEPA Corporate Plan

Background to SoE Report  To be published Sept 2006, approx 50 pages  Targeted at those who have an interest in the environment but not detailed knowledge  Aimed at improving awareness, informing priorities & highlighting gaps  Will detail state of air, land and water in 2005 or most recent year for which data available  Highlight implications of state for human & ecosystem health i.e. attempt to address the so what factor  Highlight potential reasons for change in state i.e. provide emissions & trends in emissions  About the environment rather than what SEPA does

Structure of report  Introduction  Background  Climate  Air (quality)  Land (quality, resource & habitats)  Water (quality, resource & habitats)  Acidification (all media)  Nutrient enrichment (all media)  Hazardous substances (all media)  Radiation (all media)  Waste management (all media – may become incorporated into synthesis)  Synthesis

Key features  Standard format for each section  Summary at beginning  Something about environmental processes  Bit about how measure state, limitations and how arrive at views  Summary table detailing state, implications and factors contributing to supported by commentary  Amalgamated data – not singling out companies or local authorities  Case studies to illustrate key points  References and further information sources

Process of Production  P Woolgar responsible for management, editing, pulling together internal & external data, initial drafting  Using SEPA data and published external data  Some additional analysis commissioned from CEH (ammonia, ozone critical level exceedence)  Will seek external review of specific items in report from organisations whose data has been used  Hard copy report plus interactive web version  Formal launch at SEPA conference (details to be firmed up)  To be produced at 5 year intervals ANY COMMENTS?

Climate data sources (1) State  Scottish mainland temperature – SE stats  Global annual mean concentration of CO2 in air – Mauna Loa observatory  Occurrence of gales – MET Office/SNIFFER  Ice core data - web Impact  Annual/summer/winter rainfall – SEPA, 3 sites  Annual/summer/winter/high river flow – SEPA data 7 rivers  Northern shift of species – SNH  Occurrence of springtime events – SNH  Scottish sea temperature & level – SNIFFER?  Dissolved organic carbon in water - UCL

Climate data sources (2) Pressures  Annual emission of greenhouse gases from reporting regulated processes – SEPA SPRI  Annual emission of greenhouse gases from all Scottish sources – NAEI report  Annual emission of carbon dioxide from those participating in emissions trading scheme – SEPA ETS returns ANY COMMENTS?

Air quality data sources (1) State  Annual mean concentration gl ozone, NOx, SO2, PM10, benzene, butadiene – AURN Impact  No. occurrences moderate/high/very high ozone, PM10, NOx and SO2 pollution - AURN  Exceedence of ozone critical level – CEH  Acidification of land & water – CEH  Impact of large combustion plants on Natura 2000 sites – SNIFFER project

Air quality data sources (2) Pressures  Annual emission of air pollutants from reporting regulated processes – SEPA SPRI  Annual emission of air pollutants from all UK sources – NAEI web site  Annual emission of NOx and SO2 from large combustion plants – SEPA LCPD returns  Annual solvent use – SEPA SED returns ANY COMMENTS?

Land resource & habitats data State, pressures, impact  Loss of soil to water – SEPA estimate  Land cover – CS2000  Area of agricultural land subject to env. sustainable practices – SE LMC and organic aid scheme  Status of BAP habitats & species – SE stats/JNCC  Condition of protected sites – SNH  Number of derelict & vacant sites (plus brought back into use) – SVDLS  Number of mineral workings - BGS  Farmland & woodland bird populations – BTO  Occurrence of landslides – SE report & BGS

Land quality data sources State, pressures, impact  Soil Organic Matter, pH – CS2000  Heavy metals – CS200, MLURI transects  Exceedence of critical loads for acidity & nutrient nitrogen – CEH  Number derelict sites with known contamination (plus brought back into use) – SVDLS  Number of sites formally identified as contaminated land (plus remediated) – SEPA based on LA notices  Litter on beaches – Marine Conservation Society  Litter on streets – KSB  Fly-tipping – KSB  Amount of waste to landfills and land – SEPA & WIC ANY COMMENTS?

Water resources & habitats data State, pressures, impact  Annual/summer/winter/high river flow – SEPA data 7 rivers  Groundwater level – Newbridge borehole  Condition of river habitats – RHS  Status of BAP habitats & species – SE stats/JNCC  Condition of protected sites – SNH Annual/summer/winter rainfall – SEPA, 3 sites  Water bodies impacted by abstraction and flow regulation & morphology – WFD characterisation  Amount of water licensed for abstraction – SEPA, April 06 baseline

Water quality data sources State, pressures, impact  Classified waters (rivers, lochs, estuaries, coasts; identified bathing & shellfish waters, freshwater fisheries) - SEPA  Groundwater bodies impacted by point source & diffuse pollution – WFD characterisation  Reasons for downgrading of waters  Loss of E Coli from land to water – SEPA estimate  Extent of sewage treatment – WIC  Surface water abstracted for drinking water – SEPA ANY COMMENTS?

Acidification data sources State, pressures, impact  Exceedence of critical load for acidity in terrestrial & freshwater habitats – CEH  Lochs and rivers downgraded due to acidification - SEPA  Area coniferous woodland – Forestry Facts & Figures  Annual emission of NOx and SO2 from large combustion plants – SEPA LCPD returns  Annual emission of air pollutants from reporting regulated processes – SEPA SPRI  Annual emission of air pollutants from all UK sources – NAEI web site  Emission of ammonia from all Scottish sources – CEH  Loch Grannoch & Loch Chon – AWMN ANY COMMENTS?

Nutrient enrichment data sources State, pressures, impact  Exceedence of critical load for nutrient nitrogen – CEH  Lochs downgraded due to phosphorus – SEPA  Waters sensitive to eutrophication - SEPA  Inputs of N and P to water – SEPA SPRI & OSPAR  Loss of N&P from land to water – SEPA estimate  Annual emission of NOx and SO2 from large combustion plants – SEPA LCPD returns  Annual emission of air pollutants from reporting regulated processes – SEPA SPRI  Annual emission of air pollutants from all UK sources – NAEI web site  Emission of ammonia from all Scottish sources – CEH  Fertiliser use – SE statistics  Estimate of production of manures & slurries - SEPA ANY COMMENTS?

Hazardous chemicals data State, pressures, impact  Metals, PAHs, PCBs, dioxins in soil – MLURI transects, soil & herbage survey, CS 2000  Pesticides in groundwater – SEPA data  Tributyl tin including imposex – SEPA  Fish farm chemicals - SEPA  Annual emissions of metals, PAHs, PCBs, dioxins to air & water from regulated reporting processes – SEPA SPRI  Inputs of metals to water – SEPA OSPAR  Concentrations in food – FSA ANY COMMENTS?

Radiation data sources State, pressures, impact – UV radiation  Thickness of stratospheric ozone above Lerwick – SE statistics  Emission of ozone depleting substances from regulated reporting processes – SEPA SPRI  Occurrence of skin cancer – ISD State, pressures, impact – ionising radiation  Radioceasium – MLUIR transects, soil & herbage survey  Radionuclides in the environment – RIFE  Gamma radiation dose - Defra  Water bodies impacted by ionising radiation – WFD characterisation  Emission of radionuclides from regulated reporting processes – SEPA SPRI ANY COMMENTS?

Interpretation of trends  No significant increase if less than 95% level of confidence of change (Rank Spearman correlation, seasonal Kendall test etc.)  Significant increase if 95% or greater level of confidence of change  Little or no change - less than 10% compared to selected base year  Substantial change - equal to or greater than 10% compared to selected base year ANY COMMENTS?