The Scottish and UK Governments spend a significant amount of public money to incentivise tree planting and woodland expansion in the form of grants and tax reliefs. The policy basis for this is extensive, as reflected by Scotland having some of the world’s most ambitious net zero targets and prioritising national outcomes such as nature restoration, economic prosperity, and … [Read more...] about Let’s end public subsidies for commercial conifer tree-planting
Lies, damn lies and education stats
A week after the OECD published its latest (2022) findings in the Programme for International Student Assessment, a triennial exercise known by its acronym PISA, the SNP-led Scottish Government and the party itself are spinning a report purportedly showing the opposite of what the Paris-based think tank has discovered. As Profs Lindsay Paterson and Walter Humes, two of … [Read more...] about Lies, damn lies and education stats
Zombie Scotland must wake up to its future
For the co-editors it is more obvious that the Scottish polity – and parts of civil society – is simply not prepared to get out of its comfort zone, rethink Scotland's position within a rapidly changing geo-political environment, join in European and global debates on the way forward or, bluntly, abandon its parochialism and provincialism. There is simply a brick wall of often … [Read more...] about Zombie Scotland must wake up to its future
Sceptical Scot shuts up shop
We, the co-editors of sceptical.scot, Fay Young and David Gow, have reluctantly decided to cease regular publication of this online cultural and current affairs magazine after seven eventful years.Update, October 2022: Events, including the war in Ukraine, Johnson’s replacement by Truss, market mayhem and, not least, a political awakening from inert somnolence in Scotland … [Read more...] about Sceptical Scot shuts up shop
Editorial: More ambition, Scotland!
Wellbeing. Green New Deal. Just Transition. Circular Economy. Sustainable Growth. In just five months the Scottish people will be served this apple-pie policy menu when we elect a new parliament in Holyrood. By early May 2021 the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic may be behind us after a year of loss and pain. Political parties will be offering us their "vision for the future." … [Read more...] about Editorial: More ambition, Scotland!