Publish the next Land Use Strategy which in response to CCC’s recommendation provides an overarching ‘wrapper strategy’ that clearly outlines the relationships and interactions between the multiple action plans and strategies relating to the broader environment.
Objective 6: Take action on the indirect drivers of biodiversity loss
Priority Action 30. Mainstream and integrate biodiversity policy across government.
Scotland’s Fourth Land Use Strategy (2026–2031) has now been published. The strategy is intended to improve coordination between climate, biodiversity, agriculture, forestry, peatland restoration and wider land use policy, responding in part to the Climate Change Committee recommendation for an overarching land use framework.
The strategy recognises the need for integrated land use decision-making and identifies nature restoration, climate mitigation and community resilience as key objectives. However, the strategy remains largely high-level and advisory, with delivery dependent on implementation through other sectoral policies and programmes.
Scotland still lacks a sufficiently clear and operational system for strategic land use planning. Existing approaches remain fragmented, with limited mechanisms to resolve competing demands between food production, forestry, peatland restoration, biodiversity recovery and development. There is an absence of a strong spatial prioritisation framework and limited accountability mechanisms to ensure biodiversity outcomes are delivered consistently across land use sectors.
As a result, while LUS4 strengthens strategic recognition of nature and climate objectives, there is currently limited evidence that it will fundamentally change land management decisions or deliver measurable biodiversity recovery without stronger implementation mechanisms.
LUS4 improves strategic recognition of biodiversity and ecosystem restoration within national land use policy. The strategy does not itself deliver restoration actions or binding land use change. There is no published evidence yet that currently demonstrates measurable biodiversity improvements resulting from LUS4 implementation.
Scottish Government – Scotland’s Fourth Land Use Strategy (2026–2031)
Scottish Environment LINK – Hitting the Targets
Scottish Environment LINK & SAC Consulting – The Future of Strategic Land Use Planning
Increase the effectiveness of mainstreaming biodiversity on land and at sea through strategies and programmes that include but are not limited to: - National Planning Framework - Agricultural Reform Programme - Scotland’s National Adaptation Plan - Land Reform Programme - Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation - Climate Change Plan - National Marine Plan 2
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