Action to Protect Rural Scotland
@aprscotland.bsky.social
Scotland's countryside charity. Current campaigns on Green Belts, National Parks, and Circular Economy.
So the UK Government can reduce electricity bills for data centres coming to Scotland, but it can't find a way to reduce bills for ordinary people?
What is going on?
itbrief.co.uk/story/...
join our Data Centre Campaign here: aprs.scot/data-centres/
What is going on?
itbrief.co.uk/story/...
join our Data Centre Campaign here: aprs.scot/data-centres/
Scotland to cut grid costs for AI data centres by GBP £24 per MWh
Scotland plans to slash electricity costs for AI data centres by GBP £24 per MWh, boosting competitiveness and green energy use without raising consumer bills.
itbrief.co.uk
November 19, 2025 at 10:59 AM
So the UK Government can reduce electricity bills for data centres coming to Scotland, but it can't find a way to reduce bills for ordinary people?
What is going on?
itbrief.co.uk/story/...
join our Data Centre Campaign here: aprs.scot/data-centres/
What is going on?
itbrief.co.uk/story/...
join our Data Centre Campaign here: aprs.scot/data-centres/
📢 On Sat 15th Nov join Scotland’s Climate March in Glasgow to demand a better world for all on the COP30 Global Day of Action.
Assemble at 11am, Glasgow Green.
Global Solidarity. A Fair Transition. Caring For Our Planet.
Join the action: climatemarch.scot
#ScotlandsClimateMarch
Assemble at 11am, Glasgow Green.
Global Solidarity. A Fair Transition. Caring For Our Planet.
Join the action: climatemarch.scot
#ScotlandsClimateMarch
November 7, 2025 at 9:46 AM
📢 On Sat 15th Nov join Scotland’s Climate March in Glasgow to demand a better world for all on the COP30 Global Day of Action.
Assemble at 11am, Glasgow Green.
Global Solidarity. A Fair Transition. Caring For Our Planet.
Join the action: climatemarch.scot
#ScotlandsClimateMarch
Assemble at 11am, Glasgow Green.
Global Solidarity. A Fair Transition. Caring For Our Planet.
Join the action: climatemarch.scot
#ScotlandsClimateMarch
Our Winter Webinars with @plandemoc.bsky.social are back! Starting in November and running monthly, ending with an in-person event in April 2026.
Our first webinar on 10 Nov will look at the historic environment and how that interacts with the planning system.
Sign up: aprs.scot/event/join...
Our first webinar on 10 Nov will look at the historic environment and how that interacts with the planning system.
Sign up: aprs.scot/event/join...
October 30, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Our Winter Webinars with @plandemoc.bsky.social are back! Starting in November and running monthly, ending with an in-person event in April 2026.
Our first webinar on 10 Nov will look at the historic environment and how that interacts with the planning system.
Sign up: aprs.scot/event/join...
Our first webinar on 10 Nov will look at the historic environment and how that interacts with the planning system.
Sign up: aprs.scot/event/join...
Reposted by Action to Protect Rural Scotland
Action to Protect Rural Scotland is rightly baffled as to why AI data centres don't have to submit environmental impact assessments. Sign their petition! @aprscotland.bsky.social
www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
Why AI and data centres pose massive threat to Scotland's countryside
Data centres that use vast amounts of electricity are causing problems for efforts to decarbonise the economy and are a new source of pressure on the natural world
www.scotsman.com
October 28, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Action to Protect Rural Scotland is rightly baffled as to why AI data centres don't have to submit environmental impact assessments. Sign their petition! @aprscotland.bsky.social
www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
Our new data centre campaign is calling on Scottish Government to make Environmental Impact Assessments compulsory for data centres and to issue strict standards for energy efficiency and water use.
Join us in taking action: visit the campaign site and sign our petition: www.aprs.scot/data-c...
Join us in taking action: visit the campaign site and sign our petition: www.aprs.scot/data-c...
October 28, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Our new data centre campaign is calling on Scottish Government to make Environmental Impact Assessments compulsory for data centres and to issue strict standards for energy efficiency and water use.
Join us in taking action: visit the campaign site and sign our petition: www.aprs.scot/data-c...
Join us in taking action: visit the campaign site and sign our petition: www.aprs.scot/data-c...
Sign our petition to call on the Scottish Government to demand Environmental Impact Assessments on Data Centres and to issue strict standards for energy efficiency and water use.
actionnetwork.org/petitions/ca...
actionnetwork.org/petitions/ca...
Call on Scottish Government to demand Environmental Impact Assessments on Data Centres
Sign our petition to call on the Scottish Government to demand Environmental Impact Assessments on Data Centres.
Data centres use huge amounts of energy and water – a recent proposal for a data centr...
actionnetwork.org
October 17, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Sign our petition to call on the Scottish Government to demand Environmental Impact Assessments on Data Centres and to issue strict standards for energy efficiency and water use.
actionnetwork.org/petitions/ca...
actionnetwork.org/petitions/ca...
Today we are launching a campaign on the environmental impact of data centres.
aprs.scot/news/why-a...
But hold on... a countryside charity working on data centres? that's intriguing... Why is that?
aprs.scot/news/why-a...
But hold on... a countryside charity working on data centres? that's intriguing... Why is that?
Why are we working on Data Centres? - Action to Protect Rural Scotland
Today we are launching a campaign on the environmental impact of data centres. Here Kat Jones, APRS Director, explains why this is vital work for APRS as a countryside charity.
aprs.scot
October 17, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Today we are launching a campaign on the environmental impact of data centres.
aprs.scot/news/why-a...
But hold on... a countryside charity working on data centres? that's intriguing... Why is that?
aprs.scot/news/why-a...
But hold on... a countryside charity working on data centres? that's intriguing... Why is that?
We took part in the Stop Climate Chaos mass lobby yesterday. Around 500 people registered to lobby their MSPs for greater climate action and hundreds showed up to speak to their MSPs
September 19, 2025 at 12:58 PM
We took part in the Stop Climate Chaos mass lobby yesterday. Around 500 people registered to lobby their MSPs for greater climate action and hundreds showed up to speak to their MSPs
The circular economy, and along with it repair and reuse, could be slipping down the UK-wide political agenda.
We have signed a joint letter, co-ordinated by @therestartproject.org, to Emma Reynolds, new DEFRA minister, reflecting our support for policies put forward in the #RepairReuseDeclaration.
We have signed a joint letter, co-ordinated by @therestartproject.org, to Emma Reynolds, new DEFRA minister, reflecting our support for policies put forward in the #RepairReuseDeclaration.
September 17, 2025 at 4:31 PM
The circular economy, and along with it repair and reuse, could be slipping down the UK-wide political agenda.
We have signed a joint letter, co-ordinated by @therestartproject.org, to Emma Reynolds, new DEFRA minister, reflecting our support for policies put forward in the #RepairReuseDeclaration.
We have signed a joint letter, co-ordinated by @therestartproject.org, to Emma Reynolds, new DEFRA minister, reflecting our support for policies put forward in the #RepairReuseDeclaration.
This week the world gathers in Geneva to agree the Global Plastics Treaty. We've signed a Friends of the Earth Scotland letter to the First Minister calling for more ambition on plastics.
It's a whole year since the Circular Economy Act was passed - action is needed now.
aprs.scot/what-we-sa...
It's a whole year since the Circular Economy Act was passed - action is needed now.
aprs.scot/what-we-sa...
Call for more ambition on plastics pollution - Action to Protect Rural Scotland
We recently signed an open letter to the Scottish Government on disposable dental flossers, concerned about yet another form of disposable item that is turning up on beaches and in rivers. We were quoted in The Herald and the full quote is below.
aprs.scot
August 5, 2025 at 12:13 PM
This week the world gathers in Geneva to agree the Global Plastics Treaty. We've signed a Friends of the Earth Scotland letter to the First Minister calling for more ambition on plastics.
It's a whole year since the Circular Economy Act was passed - action is needed now.
aprs.scot/what-we-sa...
It's a whole year since the Circular Economy Act was passed - action is needed now.
aprs.scot/what-we-sa...
A Battery Storage facility on a Green Belt site near to the famous Cochno Stone in Faifley has been given the go ahead.
We objected to the development which has been heavily opposed locally and will impact on an important array of Neolithic cup and ring marked rocks.
aprs.scot/cochno
We objected to the development which has been heavily opposed locally and will impact on an important array of Neolithic cup and ring marked rocks.
aprs.scot/cochno
Development impacts Green Belt, Access and Neolithic Rock Art - Action to Protect Rural Scotland
We are encouraging our supporters to object to the development of battery storage at Cochno in the green belt, which impacts on core paths and one of the densest and most accessible accumulations of pre-historic rock art in Scotland's central belt.
aprs.scot
July 31, 2025 at 11:03 AM
A Battery Storage facility on a Green Belt site near to the famous Cochno Stone in Faifley has been given the go ahead.
We objected to the development which has been heavily opposed locally and will impact on an important array of Neolithic cup and ring marked rocks.
aprs.scot/cochno
We objected to the development which has been heavily opposed locally and will impact on an important array of Neolithic cup and ring marked rocks.
aprs.scot/cochno
We haven't been moping about since Galloway National Park was cancelled - we dived straight into working on the National Park section of the Natural Environment Bill. It's been a great opportunity to look at the process of designation and possible changes in future.
aprs.scot/news/still...
aprs.scot/news/still...
Still working hard on National Parks - Action to Protect Rural Scotland
Since the cancellation of the process to designate a new National Park in Galloway we have been busy taking the opportunity of the Natural Environment Bill to improve on the process of designation, as well as to make existing National Parks more effective.
aprs.scot
July 24, 2025 at 8:00 AM
We haven't been moping about since Galloway National Park was cancelled - we dived straight into working on the National Park section of the Natural Environment Bill. It's been a great opportunity to look at the process of designation and possible changes in future.
aprs.scot/news/still...
aprs.scot/news/still...
Welcome to our new Office Manager and Administrator Laura MacLeod - we are so delighted to have her on the team. Nina Sobecka retired at the end of June after 13 years with us but she is continuing a volunteer on the Oral History project, so she will still be around!
aprs.scot/news/welco...
aprs.scot/news/welco...
Welcome to Laura and the new Trustees - Action to Protect Rural Scotland
We are delighted to welcome Laura MacLeod who joins us to take over from Nina as Administrator and Office Manager. In addition we welcome Graeme Purves and Suzie Saunders as our new Trustees.
aprs.scot
July 21, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Welcome to our new Office Manager and Administrator Laura MacLeod - we are so delighted to have her on the team. Nina Sobecka retired at the end of June after 13 years with us but she is continuing a volunteer on the Oral History project, so she will still be around!
aprs.scot/news/welco...
aprs.scot/news/welco...
We are starting a new research project on energy - especially looking at the volume of planning applications for battery storage as so much is appearing on Green Belt sites. We have two amazing volunteers working on it - look out for the report in September!
aprs.scot/news/energ...
aprs.scot/news/energ...
July 18, 2025 at 8:24 AM
We are starting a new research project on energy - especially looking at the volume of planning applications for battery storage as so much is appearing on Green Belt sites. We have two amazing volunteers working on it - look out for the report in September!
aprs.scot/news/energ...
aprs.scot/news/energ...
This week an updated Landscape Charter, has been published by The Scottish Landscape Alliance.
The document, endorse by Scottish Government, a vision of how Scotland’s communities, land managers and public bodies can contribute to enhancing Scotland’s landscapes.
aprs.scot/news/updat...
The document, endorse by Scottish Government, a vision of how Scotland’s communities, land managers and public bodies can contribute to enhancing Scotland’s landscapes.
aprs.scot/news/updat...
Updated Landscape Charter is Published - Action to Protect Rural Scotland
APRS is a member of The Scottish Landscape Alliance and this week, they published Scotland’s Landscape Charter, a document endorsed
aprs.scot
June 25, 2025 at 8:09 AM
This week an updated Landscape Charter, has been published by The Scottish Landscape Alliance.
The document, endorse by Scottish Government, a vision of how Scotland’s communities, land managers and public bodies can contribute to enhancing Scotland’s landscapes.
aprs.scot/news/updat...
The document, endorse by Scottish Government, a vision of how Scotland’s communities, land managers and public bodies can contribute to enhancing Scotland’s landscapes.
aprs.scot/news/updat...
Reposted by Action to Protect Rural Scotland
Governments always seem to prioritise the benefit of landowners and big business rather than the people who voted for them. God knows national parks aren't perfect, but they're better than the free-for-all that blights the outdoors elsewhere.
Actual APRS report here - aprs.scot/news/how-mis...
Actual APRS report here - aprs.scot/news/how-mis...
How misinformation brought down a National Park.
APRS Director @kat-jones writes in The Herald about the vested interests that brought down the proposed Galloway National Park and why this is a sobering lesson for all environmental campaigners.
www.heraldscotland.com/politics/hol...
APRS Director @kat-jones writes in The Herald about the vested interests that brought down the proposed Galloway National Park and why this is a sobering lesson for all environmental campaigners.
www.heraldscotland.com/politics/hol...
Powerful vested interests killed new national park at birth - SNP should be ashamed
The news that Galloway is no longer under consideration to be Scotland’s next National Park should send a chill down the spine of everyone…
www.heraldscotland.com
June 16, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Governments always seem to prioritise the benefit of landowners and big business rather than the people who voted for them. God knows national parks aren't perfect, but they're better than the free-for-all that blights the outdoors elsewhere.
Actual APRS report here - aprs.scot/news/how-mis...
Actual APRS report here - aprs.scot/news/how-mis...
Reposted by Action to Protect Rural Scotland
This is powerful analysis from @kat-jones.bsky.social of @aprscotland.bsky.social. If national parks are to be a mainstay of how we protect nature, enhance access and provide lasting community benefit (and I firmly believe they are) then a bolder approach is needed.
aprs.scot/news/misinfo...
aprs.scot/news/misinfo...
June 5, 2025 at 8:23 AM
This is powerful analysis from @kat-jones.bsky.social of @aprscotland.bsky.social. If national parks are to be a mainstay of how we protect nature, enhance access and provide lasting community benefit (and I firmly believe they are) then a bolder approach is needed.
aprs.scot/news/misinfo...
aprs.scot/news/misinfo...
How misinformation brought down a National Park.
APRS Director @kat-jones writes in The Herald about the vested interests that brought down the proposed Galloway National Park and why this is a sobering lesson for all environmental campaigners.
www.heraldscotland.com/politics/hol...
APRS Director @kat-jones writes in The Herald about the vested interests that brought down the proposed Galloway National Park and why this is a sobering lesson for all environmental campaigners.
www.heraldscotland.com/politics/hol...
Powerful vested interests killed new national park at birth - SNP should be ashamed
The news that Galloway is no longer under consideration to be Scotland’s next National Park should send a chill down the spine of everyone…
www.heraldscotland.com
June 16, 2025 at 8:47 AM
How misinformation brought down a National Park.
APRS Director @kat-jones writes in The Herald about the vested interests that brought down the proposed Galloway National Park and why this is a sobering lesson for all environmental campaigners.
www.heraldscotland.com/politics/hol...
APRS Director @kat-jones writes in The Herald about the vested interests that brought down the proposed Galloway National Park and why this is a sobering lesson for all environmental campaigners.
www.heraldscotland.com/politics/hol...
Reposted by Action to Protect Rural Scotland
@aprscotland.bsky.social Director Kat Jones on the campaign that banjaxed a Galloway National Park and another poorly conducted consultation by the Scottish Government:
#Galloway
#ScottishEnvironment 🌱
#LandManagement
#Galloway
#ScottishEnvironment 🌱
#LandManagement
How misinformation brought down a National Park - Action to Protect Rural Scotland
APRS Director, Kat Jones reflects on the campaign to bring down the planned new National Park. Detailed analysis of the NatureScot report confirms that misinformation has had an insidious impact on th...
aprs.scot
June 6, 2025 at 9:31 AM
@aprscotland.bsky.social Director Kat Jones on the campaign that banjaxed a Galloway National Park and another poorly conducted consultation by the Scottish Government:
#Galloway
#ScottishEnvironment 🌱
#LandManagement
#Galloway
#ScottishEnvironment 🌱
#LandManagement
How misinformation brought down Scotland's next National Park
Analysis shows misinformation had an impact on decision making, and the Park was scrapped, despite Government knowledge that most of the arguments being used against the National Park had no basis in evidence.
aprs.scot/news/how-mis...
Analysis shows misinformation had an impact on decision making, and the Park was scrapped, despite Government knowledge that most of the arguments being used against the National Park had no basis in evidence.
aprs.scot/news/how-mis...
June 5, 2025 at 12:01 PM
How misinformation brought down Scotland's next National Park
Analysis shows misinformation had an impact on decision making, and the Park was scrapped, despite Government knowledge that most of the arguments being used against the National Park had no basis in evidence.
aprs.scot/news/how-mis...
Analysis shows misinformation had an impact on decision making, and the Park was scrapped, despite Government knowledge that most of the arguments being used against the National Park had no basis in evidence.
aprs.scot/news/how-mis...
Reposted by Action to Protect Rural Scotland
Galloway Park proposal brought down by an opaquely funded misinformation campaign & a decision making process that relied on weighing the responses on a scale rather than considering their merits - excellent from @kat-jones.bsky.social at @aprscotland.bsky.social aprs.scot/news/misinfo...
Misinformation brings down National Park - Action to Protect Rural Scotland
In this blog Kat reflects on the campaign to bring down the planned new National Park in Galloway and how the misinformation that was at the heart of it was incorporated into Government decision makin...
aprs.scot
June 5, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Galloway Park proposal brought down by an opaquely funded misinformation campaign & a decision making process that relied on weighing the responses on a scale rather than considering their merits - excellent from @kat-jones.bsky.social at @aprscotland.bsky.social aprs.scot/news/misinfo...
Reposted by Action to Protect Rural Scotland
How can we use lobbying laws to challenge the influence of big businesses and wealthy individuals in politics?
Join our webinar to hear about how our lobbying laws work and discuss whether they need to be strengthened to prevent corruption.
🗓️ 02/07, 3.30-5pm
🎟️ Book: www.ercs.scot/news/lobbyin...
Join our webinar to hear about how our lobbying laws work and discuss whether they need to be strengthened to prevent corruption.
🗓️ 02/07, 3.30-5pm
🎟️ Book: www.ercs.scot/news/lobbyin...
June 2, 2025 at 2:54 PM
How can we use lobbying laws to challenge the influence of big businesses and wealthy individuals in politics?
Join our webinar to hear about how our lobbying laws work and discuss whether they need to be strengthened to prevent corruption.
🗓️ 02/07, 3.30-5pm
🎟️ Book: www.ercs.scot/news/lobbyin...
Join our webinar to hear about how our lobbying laws work and discuss whether they need to be strengthened to prevent corruption.
🗓️ 02/07, 3.30-5pm
🎟️ Book: www.ercs.scot/news/lobbyin...
@georgemonbiot.bsky.social with the axing of the Galloway National Park yesterday, you may be interested in this analysis of the anti-campaign's tactics. It might go someway to explaining how something like this could happen, and how it can happen to other campaigns. aprs.scot/news/environ...
Environmental campaigning in the age of misinformation - Action to Protect Rural Scotland
As people in Galloway, and further afield, are being asked to contribute their views on a new National Park to the official consultation, our Director, Kat Jones, contemplates the campaign that is bei...
aprs.scot
May 30, 2025 at 8:47 AM
@georgemonbiot.bsky.social with the axing of the Galloway National Park yesterday, you may be interested in this analysis of the anti-campaign's tactics. It might go someway to explaining how something like this could happen, and how it can happen to other campaigns. aprs.scot/news/environ...
"The news that Galloway is no longer under consideration to be Scotland’s next National Park should send a chill down the spine of everyone campaigning to make the world a better place."
Our reactions to the axing of the planned Galloway National Park yesterday
aprs.scot/press-releas...
Our reactions to the axing of the planned Galloway National Park yesterday
aprs.scot/press-releas...
APRS response to National Park axing - Action to Protect Rural Scotland
Following the announcement from the Cabinet Secretary Mairi Gougeon, that there will be no National Park in Galloway APRS and
aprs.scot
May 30, 2025 at 8:43 AM
"The news that Galloway is no longer under consideration to be Scotland’s next National Park should send a chill down the spine of everyone campaigning to make the world a better place."
Our reactions to the axing of the planned Galloway National Park yesterday
aprs.scot/press-releas...
Our reactions to the axing of the planned Galloway National Park yesterday
aprs.scot/press-releas...
May 27, 2025 at 9:03 AM