PLEA TO DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF UNESCO FOR HELP TO PROTECT SCOTLAND’S WORLD FAMOUS AND UNIQUE LANDMARK

Further to the creation of a six minute video depicting the potential horror that could befall Loch Ness and the Great Glen from the industrialisation by over 500 wind turbines and the required expansive infrastructure and access tracks the president of the European Platform Against Windfarms (EPAW), Jean -Louis Butré, has made a personal appeal to:                                                Madam Petya Totcharova Director-General of UNESCO asking for help to protect Scotland’s most famous jewel.

The letter has also been sent to the following ministers along with personal emails to them.                   NB: The email is copied at the end.

First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon,

Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Aileen Mcleod.

The Presiding Officer, Tricia Marwick.

Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism, Fergus Ewing with the addition of:

‘ as you are responsible for both energy and tourism and the legacy you leave for future generations is ultimately down to you, we would welcome the response from you and your department.’

Deputy First Minister, John Swinney with the adition of:

‘as you are often responsible for decisions when they are in Fergus Ewing’s constituency then the legacy you leave for future generations is ultimately down to you, we would welcome the response from you and your department.’

The video was produced in the absence of updated proposed turbine numbers by the Scottish Government, Scottish Natural Heritage and Highland Council and has been welcomed by those deeply concerned at what is happening to our beautiful country. Many of those who have viewed it have been shocked at the extent of the proposed development in such a vitally important area.

They report being moved to tears and made angry at what was being allowed to happen to Scotland’s iconic landmark.

The video was sent on 1st April to every MSP and Highland Councillor with the words:

“Please do take the time to view the video. It is six and a half minutes out of your day – it is a lifetime of destruction for Scotland’s heritage and her iconic Loch.“

The current viewing figures are in excess of 3700 in little more than a week.

Prior to the release of the independently produced film a petition had been started by Friends of The Great Glen under the heading savelochness.com. The two are now being linked together to raise awareness to the scale of wind development proposed.

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01564

Jim Treasurer, spokesman for Friends of the Great Glen, said: “The letter to UNESCO is in sympathy and encouragement with the Highland peoples and the Scottish people in attempting to protect their landscapes, heritage and hallmarks, from a planning process that does not consider these important international values.”

EPAW press-release-April-10-2015

MSPs and Highland Councilors letter 

For more information please contact:

President of EPAWJean -Louis Butré
http://epaw.org
contact@epaw.org

Spokeswoman for the UK  EPAW
Susan Crosthwaite
susan.crosthwaite@epaw.org
+44 7436 810 013

Spokesperson for Save Loch Ness
James Treasurer
http://savelochness.com
info@savelochness.com
44(0)777 550 7613

Press enquiries
Lyndsey  Ward
44(0)7899 035 135
l.ward.no36@btinternet.com

Email to ministers:

To: Nicola.Sturgeon.msp@scottish.parliament.uk ; FirstMinister@scotland.gsi.gov.uk ; scottish.ministers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Cc: Aileen.McLeod.msp@scottish.parliament.uk ; Tricia.Marwick.msp@scottish.parliament.uk ; Fergus.Ewing.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2015 11:34 PM

Subject: LOCH NESS and the Great Glen under serious threat

Dear First Minister,

Please find attached letter that has been sent to Madam Petya Totcharova Director-General of UNESCO asking her to help protect the unique,  world famous landscapes around Loch Ness from further development by industrial wind turbines and their associated infra-structure and grid connections.

You have already been sent details of the video, produced by deeply concerned citizens,  that shows the potential impact that over five hundred turbines could have on this important site.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMMUY07Gj18

Loch Ness and the Great Glen are areas of outstanding natural beauty, both sites are of international importance and the most famous loch and glen in the world, and they are the premier visitor destination in the Highlands with over 1 million visitors annually. They help give Scotland an outstanding international profile for scenic beauty and the Rough Guide readers in 2014 voted Scotland ‘Most Beautiful Country in the World’. Within landscapes exemplified by Loch Ness and the Great Glen, beats the Highland heart and the soul of the Scottish peoples. Therefore current windfarm developments in the Loch Ness area and the Great Glen are contravening and obstructing explicit Scottish Government policy which is to protect special landscapes, in Scotland, of national and international importance. We are therefore calling for the Scottish Government to intervene and save these icons and international emblems of Scotland for Scotland and for the international community. The Gaelic name for the Great Glen is “Glen Albyn” which means “The Glen of Scotland” and this is a symbol of brand Scotland. On behalf of the International Community, and our group is one, we call for you to preserve this special place, and we appeal to the Scottish Ministers to act before it is too late.

We would urge you to reconsider your policy of allowing wind developers the opportunity to speculate in such areas that should be afforded the rigorous protection from National Scenic Landscape and UNESCO World Heritage status.

I look forward to your response

Thank you

Susan Crosthwaite