THE Scottish Parliament should vote to declare a nature emergency in response to concerns over a decline in species numbers, Green MSPs said yesterday. 

Scotland’s Greens have set out radical plans to help reverse the decline in the country’s biodiversity of a debate on the issue at Holyrood this week. 

Environment spokesman Mark Ruskell said that action was needed as “everyone from the UN to David Attenborough and nature organisations here in Scotland are warning that our nature is in free-fall.”

A September report by nature conservation charity WWF revealed that global numbers of mammals, birds, fish and insects have fallen by two-thirds since 1970, including a drastic decline in numbers of the Arctic skua in Orkney.

The Greens also cited research by the Mammal Society after it placed iconic Scottish species, including the wildcat, mountain hare, beaver and red squirrel, on its “red list,” meaning that they are at risk of extinction.

A motion to be debated at Holyrood on Wednesday calls on the Scottish government to set a target to halt all species declines by 2030. 

It also demands that 30 per cent of Scotland’s land and sea should be set aside for a “nature recovery.”

Mr Ruskell said: “Here in Scotland, one in nine species already faces extinction and instead of taking the bold action needed, we’ve had years of neglect, with vested interests consistently prioritised over wildlife protection.

“To make matters worse, simple opportunities to improve the situation are being missed, particularly when it comes to planning laws and targeting farming subsidies.”

A spokesman said that the government recognises “that biodiversity loss is a key driver of climate change” and that tackling this is an important objective.

He added that “significant strides” are already being made and that there is work ongoing with international partners.