Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform facts for kids
Quick facts for kids  Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform of Scottish Government |
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Incumbent
Office not in use since 19 May 2021 |
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| Style | Cabinet Secretary Environment Secretary |
| Appointer | First Minister |
| Inaugural holder | John Home Robertson Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Land Reform |
| Formation | July 1999 |
The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform was a special job in the Scottish Government. This person was in charge of looking after Scotland's environment, dealing with climate change, and managing how land is used. They had help from another minister called the Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment.
Contents
What was the Environment Secretary's Job?
What Did They Do?
The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform had many important tasks:
- Protecting the environment and fighting climate change.
- Looking after all the different plants and animals (this is called biodiversity).
- Making sure everyone is treated fairly when it comes to environmental issues, especially with climate change.
- Stopping floods and protecting the coast from coastal erosion.
- Deciding how land is used and making sure it's fair for everyone (this is called land reform).
- Making sure animals are treated well (this is animal welfare).
- Stopping crimes against wildlife.
- Keeping Scotland's water clean.
Who Did They Work With?
The Cabinet Secretary worked closely with many important groups and organizations. These are called "public bodies" because they work for the public. Some of them include:
- Cairngorms National Park Authority (manages a big national park)
- Crown Estate Scotland (manages land and property owned by the Crown in Scotland)
- Drinking Water Quality Regulator (checks if drinking water is safe)
- Forestry and Land Scotland (looks after Scotland's forests and land)
- Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority (manages another national park)
- NatureScot (helps protect Scotland's natural environment)
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (a famous garden that studies plants)
- Scottish Canals (manages Scotland's canals)
- Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) (protects Scotland's environment)
- Scottish Forestry (manages forestry policy)
- Scottish Land Commission (advises on land use)
- Scottish Water (provides water and wastewater services)
- Water Industry Commission for Scotland (makes sure water companies are fair)
How the Role Changed Over Time
The job of looking after Scotland's environment has changed a lot over the years. When the Scottish Government first started in 1999, there were different ministers in charge of parts of this role.
At first, there was a Minister for Transport and Environment and a Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Land Reform. Later, the job titles changed to include things like "Sport and Culture" or "Rural Development."
From 2001 to 2007, the environment role was combined with rural affairs, becoming the Minister for the Environment and Rural Development.
In 2007, a new, less senior job was created: the Minister for Environment. This minister helped the main Cabinet Secretary who was in charge of rural affairs, food, and the environment. This minister focused on things like natural heritage, forestry, fishing, land reform, water quality, and sustainable development.
In 2010, "Climate Change" was added to the title, making it the Minister for Environment and Climate Change. Then, in 2014, "Land Reform" was also added, so the job became the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform.
Finally, in May 2016, this junior minister role was made into a full Cabinet Secretary position. This meant the job became much more important and the person holding it was a full member of the Scottish Cabinet. This new, more senior role was called the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform.
Who Held This Important Role?
Many people held different versions of this important job over the years. The last person to hold the full Cabinet Secretary role for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform was Roseanna Cunningham. She held the position from May 2016 until May 2021.
