Investing in nature: a plan to support investment in biodiversity and climate adaptation in Scotland

Ministerial Foreword

The Global Climate Emergency and the Nature Emergency are twin reinforcing crises: the actions we take to address each are fundamental to our wellbeing and survival as a species. There is now an indisputable body of evidence that biodiversity, both globally and in Scotland, is in real trouble. Climate change threatens the survival of many plants and animals as well as our world-renowned landscapes. Yet, nature is one of the greatest and most precious tools at our disposal in building resilience to the impacts of climate change.

Our efforts to address the crisis to date have generated some lessons and local successes, but we urgently need to accelerate and scale up those efforts to drive landscape and seascape scale recovery.

Scotland’s Biodiversity Strategy and National Adaptation Plan identify a suite of enabling conditions necessary for the successful delivery of our Vision and Outcomes. Those conditions for success include an Investment Plan which will set out the actions needed to mobilise public, private and philanthropic finance to deliver a nature positive future. The Scottish Government aims to develop natural capital markets that also deliver benefits for local communities and wider society, in line with Scotland’s Just Transition principles and land reform objectives.

This Plan is the first iteration of that commitment.

Dr Alasdair Allan MSP, acting Minister for Climate Action