Biodiversity Programme Advisory Group – citizen and society target indicators: summary of responses

6. Recommendation

To ensure the three components of the target are captured it is recommended that several indicators are used;

Understanding nature;

• Self-reported cognitive understanding through questions from either SPANs, SCS and/or NOS
• Self-reported nature connectedness through NCI, or similar, collected through SPANs

Benefitting from nature;

• Self-reported access to green and blue space including time spent in nature through SHS
• Self-reported benefits gained from experiencing nature collected through SPANs

Contributing to nature;

• Self-reported pro-nature behaviours collected through SPANs

These are recommended as they ensure the three target focus areas are covered, it utilises data we already collect – and which will have already been assessed for robustness – and some of which will give us historic data for trends and comparisons.

While we have explored other potential suitable data types, such as higher education statistics and B-Corp accreditation, it is felt that these are not appropriate to be placed within statutory targets and therefore ministerial responsibility, and instead would be more suitable measures at Delivery Plan level, for example.

It is felt that the above reporting will help drive change across the understanding, benefiting from and contributing too, topics for the Scottish population.