Environmental, Waste and Renewables Update

Here is a summary of today's Environmental, Waste and Renewables news:

STV: 'Take action now': Scotland facing summer drought amid water scarcity risk

Scotland is on track for a summer drought as experts raise concerns over water scarcity after months of below-average rainfall, data suggests.  The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has urged businesses to “take action now” in managing their water use and ensure their operations have climate resilience built in.  The latest Water Situation Update for March 2025 shows that the last month brought below-average rainfall across most of Scotland.

Click here to read STV: 'Take action now': Scotland facing summer drought amid water scarcity risk.

Insider: Zonal energy pricing 'risks £30bn of Scottish renewable investment'

Recent analysis as part of the onshore wind sector deal found that more than 10GW of projects are in the Scottish onshore wind development pipeline.  Ministers, businesses and the public have been warned that up to £30bn worth of scheduled onshore investment in Scottish renewable projects could be put at risk if zonal energy pricing proposals are backed by the government later this month.

Click here to read Insider: Zonal energy pricing 'risks £30bn of Scottish renewable investment'.

BBC: North of Scotland electricity network to have £450m upgrade

The electricity network in the north of Scotland will be improved with a £450m investment by the end of the decade, an energy firm has announced.  Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said the work would create at least 300 skilled jobs.  SSEN also said it would make existing supplies "more resilient" and support decarbonisation of communities and industry by connecting solar panels and heat pumps to the network.

Click here to read BBC: North of Scotland electricity network to have £450m upgrade.

STV: Scottish Government holds emergency meeting over ongoing Galloway wildfire

The Scottish Government is holding an emergency meeting over an ongoing wildfire in a woodland park.  Large areas of Galloway Forest Park have been alight since Thursday, sometime before 4.14pm.  Justice Secretary Angela Constance was chairing the meeting on Sunday.  The fire began in the Dumfries and Galloway area of the park, but has since spread up to Loch Doon, East Ayrshire.

Click here to read STV: Scottish Government holds emergency meeting over ongoing Galloway wildfire.