No report into the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) structure has come to any other conclusion other than it does not work and is not fit for purpose, insists Mr Russell.

There has to be an equitable relationship between partners and we can't have that if there is a sovereign parliament, he adds.

The minister also highlights the misunderstanding of devolution, adding it is a "hard job" to bring this home to UK ministers.

"It's why I look so old," he jokes.

The committee convener replies: "I couldn't possibly comment."

Mr Russell refers to the "extraordinary idiocy of Brexit".

We will not agree to have things imposed on us and if Section 12 is imposed on us we withdraw, he adds.

Ms Martin wonders how common frameworks would work if there is a divergence around environmental policy.

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham emphasises the frameworks have not yet been agreed, they are only proposed at the moment.

There are five non-legislative frameworks proposed within her portfolio she tells the committee, but they are not yet at the point of ministerial sign-off.

There is a danger that the presumption of parliamentary sovereignty at Westminster will start to override anything we do, despite the fact that environment policy is virtually all devolved she says.

Image source, bbc

"Is the devolution settlement secure?", asks Ms Martin.

Mr Russell replies the Scottish government is not going to be part of any process that undermines the devolution settlement or takes powers away from the devolved process.

"The Brexit process is too heavy for devolution to bear."

He adds the current constitutional set up no longer works and calls for the relationship to be put on a statutory footing.

"We will accept working together if it is voluntary."

Image source, bbc

Image source, bbc

Committee convener Gillian Martin welcomes the next panel of witnesses:

• Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham
• Brexit Secretary Michael Russell
• Katriona Carmichael from the Scottish government
• Don McGillivray from the Scottish government
• Gill Glass from the Scottish government

Committee convener Gillian Martin points out that the Scottish government has committed to accepting the much anticipated advice from the Committee on Climate Change, external while the UK government has not.

This divergence will mean we cannot meet our targets warns Ms Martin.

New advice from the Committee on Climate Change is due on Thursday 2 May.

An international report, external from the IPCC has said the world is currently heading for a 3C rise, way above the 1.5C target.

A coalition of charities has called on Scottish ministers to strengthen the forthcoming Climate Change Bill with a zero net emissions target.

Mr Stevenson wonders why joint parliamentary committees do not exist, given joint ministerial committees do.

Prof Reid agrees this is a good idea to allow scrutiny.

The SNP MSP also asks about the courts holding governments to account.

Prof Reid explains the common frameworks are there to ensure the laws are being applied and therefore can only do as much as the law says.

It would be a change to have courts involved in the more nitty-gritty issues, he adds.

Image source, EPA

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has declared a "climate emergency" in her speech to the SNP conference.

The SNP leader told delegates in Edinburgh she was inspired after meeting young climate campaigners who had gone on strike from school.

Ms Sturgeon said "they are right", and pledged to "live up to our responsibility" to halt climate change.

It comes after weeks of strikes by school pupils and protests by Extinction Rebellion protestors, which have targeted both the UK and Scottish parliaments.

Read more.

Image source, bbc

Prof Reid says air quality must be addressed with an overall complex strategy.

There must be clear and definite rules and having national differences complicates matters, he posits.

Green MSP Mark Ruskell points out the European Court of Justice has been key in enforcing air quality standards and asks how the proposed Office of Environmental Protection will provide a similar role.

Prof Reid warns a number of bodies that have been set up in the UK are respected, but some are not.

Image source, bbc

Committee convener Gillian Martin expresses concerns about power moving to Westminster post-Brexit which she says is not how devolution was meant to work.

The fall back position was always the supremacy of the UK parliament, points out the professor.

Image source, Getty Images

The environment is still at risk of damage after Brexit, according to a cross-party group of 74 MPs and peers.

They say personal reassurances by Environment Secretary Michael Gove are of no value without new legislation.

Mr Gove has promised that the environment will be maintained or enhanced after the UK leaves the EU.

The group of 74 want a new Clean Air Act. They say they fear that, following Brexit, the UK government will pass the buck on pollution to councils.

Read more.

Image source, bbc

Professor Colin Reid, from the University of Dundee, begins by saying the whole issue of common frameworks as we move away from the EU has political, technical and legal aspects.

Image source, bbc

The committee considers the following negative instruments:

• The Carbon Accounting Scheme (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2019
• The Loch Carron Marine Conservation Order 2019

Image source, bbc

What percentage of total emissions are covered by this SSI, asks SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson.

It's around 25% of Scotland's total emissions that are traded under this, replies Dr Russon.

The Carbon Accounting Scheme (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2019, external are being discussed first.

The committee is hearing from Scottish government official Dr Tom Russon and his colleague Andrew Mortimer.

Image source, bbc

These regulations amend the Carbon Accounting Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2010.

The 2010 regulations make provision about carbon units and carbon accounting for the purposes of Part 1 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

They provide a method for determining whether an amount of carbon units is to be credited to or debited from the net Scottish emissions account for 2017.

The environment committee will begin shortly. It will largely focus on Brexit and the impact on environment policy and common frameworks.

Both Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham and Brexit Secretary Mike Russell will be giving evidence, after an academic from the University of Dundee.

But first, the committee will discuss regulations relating to the carbon accounting scheme.

Read the committee papers here., external

Image source, Getty Images

Welcome to Holyrood Live on Tuesday 30 April 2019.

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham and Brexit Secretary Mike Russell appear before the environment committee this morning to discuss the impact of leaving the EU.

Image source, Getty Images

After topical questions on the police estate and currency plans, the education committee leads a debate on music tuition fees. Earlier this year, it backed free access for all.

Finally, Tory MSP Miles Briggs highlights the care needs of people with Parkinson's.