SHORT-SIGHTED CRITICS SLAMMED BY ENVIRONMENT MINISTER

The recently launched consultation – Climate Change and the National Forest Estate – seeks to identify new ways in which Scotland’s forests can contribute to effectively tackling climate change.

Speaking out against criticism of the ideas in the consultation, Mr Russell urged people across the country to find out for themselves what is being proposed.

Mr Russell said:

“There is a great deal of short-sighted, uninformed and misleading comment being made about our proposals and I find that disappointing. Inaccurate claims about job losses and selling off forestry land are nothing but scaremongering.

“Our consultation is about generating effective, workable ideas on how best to meet the challenge of our generation. An effective contribution means finding ways of cutting green-house gas emissions and locking up carbon from the atmosphere and doing it as soon as we can.

“Given the seriousness of the issue we need to generate a constructive, positive consensus on how we tackle climate change. This is not a party political issue – it is going to affect everyone’s children and grandchildren.

"If you don't like our ideas, that's fine - but you need to suggest something better.

“I would urge people to get involved, look to the future and put your shoulder to the wheel. The action we take now will determine what sort of world our children and grandchildren must live in.”