The Scottish Government’s recently published Biodiversity Strategy to 2045 and Delivery Plan 2024-2030 is a move towards a more comprehensive approach to halting and reversing nature loss and marks a pivotal moment in addressing Scotland’s biodiversity crisis. While this framework contains some good ambitions – the headlines being to halt biodiversity loss and be nature positive by 2030, and to restore and regenerate biodiversity by 2045 – the Government must go further to meet these targets.  

The framework outlines over 100 actions to halt biodiversity loss and promote ecological restoration and regeneration across Scotland. Actions include substantially reducing deer densities; developing a nature positive agriculture programme; investing in nature restoration, woodland creation and peatland restoration; and tackling the indirect drivers of biodiversity loss. Behind schedule, the Government is also expected to soon publish a Biodiversity Investment Plan and will establish statutory targets in the Natural Environment Bill in Spring 2025. Together, these documents will hopefully help us move closer to realising Scotland’s nature-positive ambitions. 

A huge effort is needed across the whole of society if we are to realistically tackle the climate and nature emergencies.

 

“While the Government’s plan provides a solid foundation, its success hinges on strong leadership, fostering a collaborative cross-government effort, measurable targets, dedicated funding and crucially a big increase in the sense of urgency. Without these, the ambitious goals set out in the framework risk falling short.”

 

The Biodiversity Strategy further enshrines Scotland’s existing target of restoring 30% of the natural environment by 2030 (often referred to as 30 by 30). Outgoing chief executive of NatureScot, Francesca Osowska, said recently to the Guardian that greater urgency and action – and importantly, more funding – is needed to meet this promise. She noted that if nature were mainstreamed as a cross-cutting theme across all of Government (as has been done with climate change), and if policy and subsidies for farming, forestry and uplands were better aligned with these objectives, then Scotland still has a ‘fighting chance’.

 

“This need for urgency is uncomfortably contrasted by funding cuts to NatureScot of roughly 40% over the last decade, and cuts to spending on agri-environment schemes. With further budget cuts likely, and an apparent de-prioritisation of forestry targets and lack of meaningful commitment to sustainable agriculture practices, the pace of Scotland’s 30 by 30 progress is concerning.”

 

The evidence put forward in the Government’s Biodiversity Strategy shows that our natural environment has been heavily degraded, with continued declines across much of Scotland’s land and seascape species and habitats. Around 70% of Scotland’s land is solely or partially managed for agriculture, and changes to agricultural practices over the decades has caused substantial habitat loss and fragmentation, decreases in key species, and a reduction in diversity, complexity and resilience of soils and plant life – which in turn causes further reductions in invertebrates, birds and other animals. There has also been habitat loss and landscape degradation in the uplands, with at least 25% of wider uplands in poor condition as a result of management practices and heavy grazing impacts of sheep and deer. Woodland biodiversity also faces significant challenges due to over grazing, unsustainable deer numbers, and invasive non-native species; and urbanisation continues to negatively impact on lowland landscapes. Scotland’s marine environments are also facing challenges, with seabird populations reducing and coastal habitats facing pressure from rising sea levels and more frequent storm-surges. 

Climate change and biodiversity loss threaten the resilience of ecosystems that underpin our health, economy, and quality of life. It’s become clearer than ever that transformative action is needed to restore nature and build a more sustainable future. 

 

Sense of Urgency 

A recent report – titled Act Now, Save Later – by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the University of Edinburgh highlights the urgency required in tackling the biodiversity crisis, and reveals the potentially devastating consequences Scotland could face if accelerated action is not taken to protect and restore nature.  

Early action enhances resilience, and failure to invest in nature now will only cost us more in the long run. By acting promptly, we minimise long-term costs and keep our options open for future decisions. The report examines two potential scenarios of what Scotland could look like in 2045, depending on how much funding and policy support is given to nature conservation.  

 

“By acting now, we can build momentum and greatly enhance our capacity to shape a sustainable and resilient future for everyone.”

 

While explicitly acknowledging the ‘growing international consensus that urgent and deep-rooted action is needed to halt biodiversity loss and bend the curve to ensure a nature positive future’, it’s concerning to see the Scottish Government not prioritise tangible and immediate action. For example, the Investment Strategy was promised before the end of 2024, yet it has still not been published. Furthermore, many of the actions included in the Delivery Plan are recycled from previous documents, strategies and pledges – for example the long-standing commitment to implement a ban on the sale of horticultural peat, which the Scottish Government initially committed to in 2020.  

The pace of this progress is not proportionate to the gravity of the situation. We need to be realistic about the scale of the emergency facing us and ask the question – does this Strategy go far enough?

 

A Collective Effort  

The path to a greener Scotland demands a whole-of-society approach. Communities, businesses, landowners, and industries must collaborate to bring transformative change. By working together, we can rebuild ecosystems, support biodiversity, and create a fairer, more prosperous future for everyone. 

 

“At the heart of this Strategy is collaboration. No one can tackle the nature emergency alone.”

– Dr Alasdair Allan, Acting Minister for Climate Action, speaking in the Ministerial Forward to the Biodiversity Strategy 

 

In the spirit of this stated need for collaboration, the active inclusion of environmental and conservation NGOs and community organisations, amongst other stakeholders, is crucial for the success of the Strategy. For example, the ongoing work of the Trust has long been aligned with the aims of the Biodiversity Strategy and can be used as an example of the work that is needed. 

The Strategy calls for substantially reducing deer densities across Scotland’s landscapes in parallel with ensuring sustainable management of grazing by sheep to improve overall ecosystem health. The Trust is an advocate for this and works on our reserves and within our project areas to improve ecosystem health through deer population control to keep deer at ecologically sustainable levels. Importantly, this involves working with neighbouring land managers and with local communities.

 

Investment in Society 

Nature underpins and connects all aspects of society, from health and wellbeing to the economy, and it is important that we act now to unlock future opportunities for growth. It is often said that not everything that is done for climate change has a social, economic or biodiversity benefit, but everything that you do for nature does. With an estimated half of the world’s GDP (US$44 trillion) thought to be dependent on nature in some way (according to the Biodiversity Strategy), the consequences for continued nature depletion will extend to every part of our lives. 

 

Biodiversity is complex and entangled with all other aspects of life. Its decline will affect us all and must be addressed alongside other societal and governmental aims. First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney MSP, has announced that his priorities are eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, tackling the climate emergency, and ensuring high quality and sustainable public services. To meet these ambitions, significant investment is required alongside robust leadership across all sectors – including nature and biodiversity. For example, species and habitat management can provide additional economic benefits on top of existing economic activity – often in rural locations where job shortages and rural poverty are very real issues. These include but are not limited to wildlife tourism, wildlife and habitat management and educational opportunities.  

Healthy ecosystems also deliver a wide range of crucial public services which we rely upon for our socioeconomic future, often referred to as ecosystem services. The reverse is also true – degraded, unhealthy ecosystems hinder our ability to provide robust public services. Wildlife and species are an integral part of healthy ecosystems. Take the beaver for example, which provides two vital public services by cleaning water and creating flood mitigation infrastructure. Beaver conservation is just as much a public services issue as it is a nature issue. 

The Government’s Biodiversity Strategy certainly represents a bold step forward, but it is only the beginning. With the right commitment and collaboration, we can turn the tide on nature loss and ensure a thriving natural environment for generations to come. 

Let’s act now—our future depends on it. 

 

Kirsty Richard, Policy Manager (Terrestrial)