Project Outputs

The project is designed not only to provide academic commentary on the right of access to environmental information, but to provide practical support to both users and providers of environmental information. These aims are reinforced by the collaboration with key stakeholders such as the Scottish Information Commissioner, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, as well as inviting environmental interest groups to participate in the Advisory Board.

The project began on 1 January 2018, and concluded on 30 June 2020.

Project Outputs

Reports:

  • Report on the findings of the “Uncovering the Environment: The Use of Public Access to Environmental Information” project – https://sites.dundee.ac.uk/envinfo/uncovering-the-environment-the-use-of-public-access-to-environmental-information-booklet/

Articles:

  • S Whittaker, J Mendel and C Reid, “Back to Square One: Revisiting How We Analyse the Right of Access to Environmental Information” (2019) 31(3) Journal of Environmental Law 465
  • S Whittaker, C Reid and J Mendel, “Uncovering the Environment: The Use of Public Access to Environmental Information” (2019) Scottish Planning and Environmental Law  57
  • S Whittaker, C Reid and J Mendel, “Charging for environmental information: does practice meet theory?” (2018) 30(4) Environmental Law and Management 91
  • C Reid, “Uncovering the Environment” (2018) The Journal of the Law Society of Scotland

Conference Contributions:

  • C Reid and S Whittaker, “Uncovering the Environment: The Use of Public Access to Environmental Information” (2019) Society of Legal Scholars Annual Conference 2019, Preston, 3 September 2019
  • J Mendel, “Uncovering the Environment: The Use of Public Access to Environmental Information” (2019) Royal Geographical Society Annual International Conference 2019, London, 28 August 2019
  • S Whittaker, “Uncovering the Environment: The Use of Public Access to Environmental Information” (2019) Law and the Environment – Centre for Law and the Environment 17th Annual Conference, Cork, 11 April 2019
  • S Whittaker, “Uncovering the Environment: The Use of Public Access to Environmental Information” (2019) Socio-Legal Studies Association, Leeds, 3 April 2019
  • S Whittaker, “Uncovering the Environment: The Use of Public Access to Environmental Information” (2019) Scottish Public Information Forum, Greenock, 25 March 2019
  • S Whittaker, “Uncovering the Environment: The Use of Public Access to Environmental Information” (2019) Part 7 Network Meeting, Glasgow, 21 January 2019
  • C Reid, J Mendel and S Whittaker, “Uncovering the Environment: The Use of Public Access to Environmental Information Masterclass” (2018) Holyrood Freedom of Information, Edinburgh, 13 December 2018
  • S Whittaker, “Uncovering the Environment: The Use of Public Access to Environmental Information” (2018) Information Requests Network Meeting, Glenrothes, 30 August 2018
  • S Whittaker, “Back to Square One: Revisiting How We Analyse the Right of Access to Environmental Information” (2018) Information and Privacy Rights in a Time of Change, Centre for Freedom of Information, University of Dundee, 9 May 2018
  • C Reid, “Accessing Environmental Information in Scotland” (2018) Future Proofing FOI: Does FOI Go Far Enough?, Centre for Freedom of Information, University of Dundee, 8 May 2018
  • S Whittaker, “Uncovering the Environment: Theoretical Understandings and and Empirical Research of the Right of Access to Environmental Information” (2018) VI Strathclyde Postgraduate Colloquium on Environmental Law and Governance, University of Strathclyde, 2 May 2018

Intended Project Outputs

  • A summary of the research project’s findings for key stakeholders, individuals who participated in the project survey and those who were interviewed
  • A one-day conference held at the University of Dundee on the right of access to environmental information
  • Two stakeholder workshops (one for users of environmental information and one for providers of environmental information)
  • Conference papers at various fora, such as the Centre for Freedom of Information Annual Conference and the UK Environmental Law Association
  • Papers to be published in academic and stakeholder journals
  • Online publications, such as articles in the Guardian and academic blogs
  • A published book which, similar to other publications by Professor Reid, would be accessible to non-specialists.

The research team will also periodically publish posts analysing various aspects of Scotland’s environmental information regime on the “Project Blog” section of the website.