Tackling the nature emergency

Nature is in crisis.

We know it. You know it.

The Scottish Government knows it.

But what can each of us do to help?

The Scottish Government recently launched a consultation on tackling the nature emergency and are seeking your views. Responding to this consultation is an action open to everyone which could make a fundamental difference to the future of Scotland’s wildlife and landscapes.

Use our consultation tool to create your own response.

Respond now

What is the Scottish Government asking?

In September, the Government launched a consultation titled “Tackling the nature emergency – Consultation on Scotland’s Strategic Framework for Biodiversity” and are seeking responses by 14 December 2023.

This important and wide-ranging consultation covers a range of important measures, including:

The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and its five-year delivery plans
Provisions under the Natural Environment Bill for legally binding nature targets (like the ones we have for net-zero on climate change)
Delivery plans for “30 by 30” and Nature Networks
Amendments to the aims, purpose, powers and functions of National Parks

The Scottish Wildlife Trust believes that all measures under consultation, if supported by a suitable enabling framework, could help to tackle our dual nature and climate crises – something that the evidence shows us we have thus far failed to do.

Putting action for nature on the same legal footing as action on climate is vital…

Putting action for nature on the same legal footing as action on climate is a vital step if we want businesses and government to protect and restore nature. This consultation provides us with the opportunity to make this happen.

Construct your own response using our consultation tool which uses your selections and answers to send a customised email message that can be sent on to the consultation email address. You may wish to read our associated briefing when writing your response.

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What is the current state of nature in Scotland?

The recently published State of Nature Scotland report reveals some highly concerning trends.

1 in 9 species is threatened with national extinction.
There has been a 15% decline in average species abundance across closely monitored wildlife since 1994. In the last decade alone, 43% (172) of the species have declined strongly.
Flowering plants, along with lichens and bryophytes, have suffered massive declines in distribution since 1970.
Scotland’s globally important seabirds are among the biggest concern – declining by nearly half between 1986 and 2019 – before the more recent devastating impacts of Avian Flu.

Now is the time for strong leadership from our political representatives…

We welcome the Scottish Government’s targets but want to make it clear that to meet these there needs to be a real change of gear. That’s why we’re calling for strong leadership from our political representatives.

Our consultation tool provides an easy way for you to construct your own response to tell the Government what’s important to you.

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What are the Scottish Government’s targets for nature?

The overall targets set out in the Natural Environment Bill and Biodiversity Strategy are to reverse the decline in nature by 2030 and restore it by 2045.

We want to highlight to the Scottish Government and MSPs from all parties that investing in nature offers huge opportunities and that strong, legally binding nature targets will encourage private sector investment in more environmentally friendly practices. Green jobs will be created in a huge range of fields from finance to engineering and from agriculture to education. They will also ensure a healthy, vibrant and habitable Scotland where people want to live, work and play.

Have your say

Follow our step-by-step guide to responding to what we consider the key parts of the consultation.

Respond now

What is the Scottish Government asking?

What is the current state of nature in Scotland?

What are the Scottish Government’s targets for nature?

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