(m) the advancement of environmental protection or improvement
This purpose focuses on protecting or improving the environment and can include:
- the preservation and conservation of the natural environment
- the promotion of sustainable development
- the conservation or protection of wildlife in general or of particular species, habitats or areas
- the protection of green spaces in a particular area
- sustainable creation and use of energy and other resources.
What do we mean by environmental protection or improvement?
To be charitable the advancement of environmental protection or improvement generally means:
- the protection or conservation of a specific plant, animal species, habitat, or area of land or water, including areas of natural beauty and scientific interest
- the protection of green spaces in a particular area
- the sustainable management of natural resources
- the reduction of pollution and waste
- the investigation of climate change
- the promotion of energy saving measures and the use of renewable energy.
What activities might provide public benefit when advancing this purpose?
In general, public benefit is the way that a charity makes a positive difference to the public. Where an organisation is set up to conserve the environment by protecting plants, animal species, habitat or land they must be able to show that these require conservation or protection. For example, organisations set up to protect a particular species must be able to provide independent evidence that the species is rare or in danger of extinction.
Organisations should also be prepared to provide evidence that there is public benefit in protecting the species. Sometimes the preservation of a particular species can have a negative effect on the local environment or community. For example, an invasive species that causes damage to the ecosystem and could lead to the extinction of a native species. In general, public benefit is the way that a charity makes a positive difference to the public. Where an organisation is set up to conserve the environment by protecting plants, animal species, habitat or land they must be able to show that these require conservation or protection. For example, organisations set up to protect a particular species must be able to provide independent evidence that the species is rare or in danger of extinction.
Evidence of environmental or conservation benefits can be obtained from a number of sources and may be relevant when we consider this purpose.
Scottish Natural Heritage publishes lists of:
- designated protected areas
- protected species in Scotland
- sites of Special Scientific Interest
- designated nature conservation marine protected areas
- National Scenic Area
- National Nature Reserves.
WWF-UK produces lists outlining the conservation status of a large number of species worldwide.
Organisations which aim to promote conservation generally or on a small scale will need to give details of specific projects and be able to describe how these will provide public benefit.
Where an organisation simply acts in a way that is environmentally friendly, for example making sure that it recycles as much as possible, we would not consider this to be the advancement of environmental protection or improvement.
Sustainable development
This purpose includes the promotion of sustainable development.
Sustainable development is often described as ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’.
Organisations whose purposes are to advance environmental protection or improvement by the promotion of sustainable development must be able to show that they design their activities to balance different, and often competing, needs against an awareness of environmental, social and economic limitations.
Where an organisation has other charitable purposes involving urban or rural regeneration its governing document often requires that it pursues those purposes in the interests of sustainable development.