Ask Cabinet Secretary Gillian Martin to oppose Berwick Bank

The Scottish Parliament has just been filled with new MSPs, and we need to make sure they get the message fast. Scotland’s seabird colonies must not be sacrificed for Berwick Bank offshore windfarm – let’s get behind clean, green nature-friendly windfarms instead!

With a new Scottish Government settling in, we have an important opportunity to build fresh opposition to Berwick Bank windfarm. Together we can make sure this is top of their agenda, and that they adopt a clear position in opposition to this destructive development from the outset.

This action takes moments and will email Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs, Gillian Martin, MSP.

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<div>Dear Gillian Martin MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs, I am writing to urge you to oppose the proposed Berwick Bank offshore windfarm.While I do not live in Scotland, I greatly value the natural environment and deeply care for Scotland’s seabirds, which are of global importance. Most seabird species breeding in Scotland are already in decline, and this project threatens to exacerbate their plight.Scotland is globally important for seabirds, with 5 million breeding on our shores, including 60% of the world’s great skuas and around half of the world’s northern gannets. Seabirds are key to the health and functioning of the marine environment, yet most seabird species in Scotland are in steep decline. Urgent action is needed to reverse this trend, ensuring the recovery of seabird populations and the resilience of marine ecosystems, as well as the coastal communities and economic sectors that depend on them. Berwick Bank offshore windfarm is to be located in a key foraging area for a huge range of species like puffins, gannets and kittiwakes. The developer’s own impact assessment projects that the development could kill up to 261 Gannets, 2,808 Guillemots, 815 Kittiwakes, 66 Puffins, and 154 Razorbills a year. This would make it one of the deadliest windfarms in the world and would be a huge setback for Scotland’s natural heritage. Its impacts are so severe, it could fast track species like Kittiwake to local extinction. Now, the developer wants to build this wind farm in phases, making it easier to find compensation for the seabirds that will be killed. That is not acceptable. Scotland’s seas offer vast renewable energy potential, and offshore wind is a key part of the Scottish Government’s plan to reach net zero by 2045. However, it is essential that the location, scale, and technology of these developments avoid harming marine ecosystems, especially in the context of the nature crisis. Other projects such as Ossian demonstrate how floating turbine technology, sited further offshore and away from critical seabird habitats, can deliver similar energy benefits to proposals like Berwick Bank but with a lower environmental impact.I am deeply concerned about the potentially devastating impact that Berwick Bank will have.This is a key issue for me and many others, so I am seeking your clear commitment to champion Scotland’s seabirds, halt this devastating project and get behind nature positive offshore wind instead.</div>

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