SLE appeals for government to work positively with land managers on addressing climate change

Press Release

Land management is key to Scotland achieving its net-zero ambitions - and it is vital that government acknowledges the advantages of scale when tackling the climate emergency.

Scottish Land & Estates commented after the Scottish Parliament voted for a motion on Wednesday affirming the commitment to tackling the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.

The rural business organisation said its members were well-placed to continue delivering action on the ground, including peatland restoration, woodland creation and other key measures such as water management, habitat restoration and delivery of clean energy - but that the Scottish Government needed to view estates as key partners in delivery. 

Eleanor Kay, Senior Policy Adviser – Agriculture & Climate Change at Scottish Land & Estates, said: “Rural and land-based businesses wholeheartedly welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to tackling the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. Our members are well placed to continue delivering progress on this matter and it is vital that government recognises the role of estates and land managers as partners for the actions needed to achieve ambitious net zero targets.

“The government has already had to accept that it would not meet its original net zero targets by 2030 and it needs to take steps to ensure that it avoids counterproductive policymaking. By seeking to fragment land use, as it is attempting to do through the Land Reform Bill, it will both reduce the pace of delivery and also the level of investment available to undertake forestry and peatland schemes.

“Around 70,000ha of new woodland been grown on private land since 2015. The Scottish Government aims to create enough woodland to cover 21% of Scotland’s total area by 2032 - but at the current rate of delivery, it would take almost 48 years to reach this target through only small-scale projects of 0-50 hectares.

“In their recent proposals for a carbon land tax, the Scottish Government would be punishing those who are already making the greatest contribution to climate mitigation and nature restoration. There are serious questions around how this would work in practice and it will do little to help Scotland’s rural economy and encourage investment and employment.”

SLE added that it wanted to see greater use of data in Scottish Government decision-making around climate change and that progress was required on delivery of Just Transition Plans.

Ms Kay continued: “Data led decision making must be front and centre in the design of future policy and legislation as too often we see ideological positions ignoring significant evidence in policymaking. Farming and land management are good examples of where government and the rural sector can improve our use of data to provide better outcomes.”