Scottish Environment LINK has today launched a new report, Restoring Scotland’s Waters, calling on the Scottish government to take urgent action to protect and restore Scotland’s rivers, lochs, wetlands and coastal waters ahead of its next River Basin Management Plan due in December 2027.

Scotland’s rivers and lochs are under threat from sewage spills, pollution and climate change. The country’s sewers are known to have spilled more than 21,000 times in 2023, but the actual number of spills is likely to be much higher. Scotland’s waters are seeing a rise in the types of chemical pollutants being detected, including pharmaceuticals. 284,000 of Scotland’s properties, businesses and services are currently estimated to be at risk from flooding.

The Restoring Scotland’s Waters report reviews progress under the current River Basin Plan and finds that Scotland risks missing its 2027 target of achieving good ecological status for all water bodies. It sets out ten key priorities to steer the next plan and deliver healthier water environments for nature and people.