Agriculture and climate change
Our Vision for Agriculture (March 2022), sets out how we want to transform farming and food production in Scotland. We want Scotland to become a world leader in sustainable farming that produces high-quality food while protecting the environment.
We are committed to tackling climate change and the loss of wildlife and nature, as set out in the Environment Strategy for Scotland (February 2020). Scottish agriculture will play a central role in cutting emissions, restoring nature, and making better use of land.
Reaching our climate targets will mean farmers, crofters, and land managers need to make changes. Many are already adopting more sustainable approaches and using tools like carbon audits and soil testing. We will keep supporting the industry to cut its emissions, and have committed to providing stability until 2030 so that farmers and crofters can build skills, gain knowledge, invest, and prepare for future changes.
Scotland's Climate Change plan 2026 to 2040 (March 2026), sets out how agriculture will reduce emissions and help meet our carbon targets. We report on progress annually, along with our national greenhouse gas statistics.
The third Scottish National Adaptation Plan (SNAP3) sets out how we will help farmers and crofters adapt to climate change. We also report annually on progress against SNAP3
The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 gives us the powers to deliver the Agriculture Reform Programme, ensuring that future support is focused on high-quality and sustainable food production, cutting emissions, and restoring nature.
The Agricultural Reform Implementation Oversight Board continues to support the delivery of our policy reforms.
Emissions in agriculture
Agriculture has an important role to play in reducing Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions.
The three main greenhouse gases produced by farming are carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Different greenhouse gases have different effects on climate change, and this is known as their global warming potential (GWP). Over 100 years, methane is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide is 265 times more potent. Together, methane and nitrous oxide account for more than two-thirds of Scottish agriculture's total emissions.
Agricultural emissions come from a range of sources, including the digestive systems of livestock (known as enteric fermentation), manure management, use of synthetic fertilisers, soil disturbance, and farm machinery. This means different types of farms produce different emissions and will need different solutions.
Ruminant livestock, such as cattle and sheep, produce large amounts of methane from digestion, and both methane and nitrous oxide from manure. The beef, sheep, and dairy sectors together account for around three-quarters (77%) of total agricultural emissions. Arable farming accounts for a further 20%, mainly from nitrous oxide released by inorganic fertilisers. Other agricultural activities including pig and poultry account for the remaining 3% of emissions.
Agriculture also has a vital role to play in land use, peatland restoration, and forestry.
Reducing emissions in agriculture
Agriculture and food production rely on natural processes and will always cause some degree of greenhouse gas emissions. In particular, ruminant livestock will always emit some greenhouse gases. A fine balance is required to reduce greenhouse emissions while producing high quality, sustainable food
Scottish agriculture produced around 19% of Scotland’s total emissions in 2024: 7.5 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e). Since 1990 (the base year for our emission targets), agricultural emissions have fallen by 1.2 MtCO2e, or 14%.
Our pathway to net zero as set out in the Climate Change Plan requires a further reduction of 1.7 MtCO2e by 2040, meaning total agricultural emissions will be around 33% lower than in 1990.
Individual farm businesses can help by taking steps such as:
- looking after and improving soil health
- optimising land use
- tackling livestock diseases
- improving livestock productivity
- using the best available technology
- maximising resource efficiency
- reducing and recycling waste
- protecting and restoring biodiversity
These actions will not only cut emissions but also improve animal health and welfare, produce cleaner water and air, benefit wildlife, strengthen farm finances, and increase Scotland’s carbon sink.
Farmers and crofters and land managers can also support Scotland's climate goals by storing carbon in woodlands and soil, and by generating renewable energy on their land.
The impacts of climate change on Scottish agriculture
Climate change is already affecting Scottish farming, bringing both challenges and opportunities.
Scotland can expect:
- warmer, wetter winters
- hotter, drier summers
- more unpredictable and extreme weather
- more flooding and more drought
- the spread of new pests and diseases
- soil erosion and loss of nutrients
How severe these impacts are will depend on how much global temperatures rise. By the 2080s, under a high-emissions scenario, average summer temperatures in Scotland could be around 3°C higher than today, and summer rainfall could fall by around 18%. This could put pressure on water supplies, soils, crops, and livestock. It may also bring some benefits, such as longer growing seasons and new crop opportunities.
Adapting to these changes will be vital for the long-term health and sustainability of Scottish agriculture.
Adapting Scottish agriculture to climate change
Adaptation is essential if Scottish agriculture is to remain resilient, productive, and sustainable. Without action, climate change will disrupt food production, harm businesses, damage supply chains, increase costs, and threaten the future of farming and crofting communities.
Key steps that farmers and crofters can take on their farms include:
- protecting and improving soil health
- managing, protecting, and restoring peatlands
- taking steps to reduce the risk of wildfires
- planting and managing trees
- improving water storage on farm
- providing shelter and shade for livestock
- using integrated pest management
- maintaining strong on-farm biosecurity
How we are supporting farmers and crofters
Land management in Scotland will change as we address the climate and nature crises. This brings both challenges and opportunities. To ensure a fair transition, we will keep supporting farmers, crofters, land managers, and others across the agricultural supply chain to build resilient businesses, share knowledge, and work together.
We support farmers to take action on climate in a number of ways, including:
The Integrating Trees Network is an award winning joint initiative between the Scottish Government and Scottish Forestry. It encourages more trees to be planted on agricultural land in the right places and for the right reasons, and provides practical guidance on how to do this. The network is farmer and crofter-led, with 17 host farmers from across Scotland demonstrating the many benefits of integrating trees into farmland for climate and environmental goals.
The Farm Advisory Service (FAS) provides high-quality advice (mostly free of charge) to farmers, land managers, and crofters. It is aligned with the priorities in our Vision for Agriculture and adapts to emerging issues as they arise, helping agricultural businesses prepare for future challenges.
The Code of Practice for Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture (March 2026) provides guidance and practical examples of sustainable and regenerative farming practices. It helps achieve a balance between producing food sustainably and farming with nature, delivering benefits for climate, biodiversity, and farm profitability.
The Rural Support Plan (March 2026) sets out our strategic priorities and brings together all available support including information on climate mitigation and adaptation.
We encourage all farming businesses to explore the support and advice available and to take the actions that are right for them. We will continue to review and improve the support and guidance on offer.