Identify and address gaps in current evidence on coastal habitats, through research and monitoring as an enabling action for all coastal biodiversity actions (2024-2028) and fund research commencing in 2024 into better quantifying the adaptation benefits of coastal landforms and habitats to maximise biodiversity benefits.
Objective 1: Accelerate ecosystem restoration and regeneration
Priority Action 4. Improve Resilience in Coastal and Marine Systems by reducing pressures and increase and safeguard space for coastal habitat change
There is no single dedicated programme established specifically to deliver this action as a standalone research and monitoring initiative for coastal habitats.
Instead, relevant work is being taken forward through a combination of existing programmes and projects. This includes NatureScot Site Condition Monitoring for designated coastal sites, the Dynamic Coast project which provides evidence on coastal change and resilience, and the Scottish Blue Carbon Action Plan (2025) which highlights the role of coastal habitats in climate mitigation and adaptation. Together, these initiatives contribute to improving the evidence base, but they are not currently structured as a single coordinated programme focused specifically on filling coastal habitat evidence gaps or quantifying adaptation benefits across all coastal systems.
Coastal habitat monitoring and research is being delivered through multiple established workstreams, including site condition monitoring of designated coastal sites and coastal change analysis. Key evidence programmes such as Dynamic Coast provide robust understanding of coastal erosion, resilience and adaptation, while the Scottish Blue Carbon Action Plan (2025) strengthens the evidence base on the role of coastal habitats in climate mitigation and adaptation. However, these activities are not currently integrated into a single coordinated national programme focused specifically on identifying and closing coastal habitat evidence gaps or systematically quantifying adaptation benefits across all coastal systems. As a result, evidence generation is strong but distributed across separate initiatives rather than delivered through a unified framework.
NatureScot – Site Condition Monitoring (coastal and protected areas)
Dynamic Coast project
Scottish Blue Carbon Action Plan (2025)
NatureScot – Coastal change and adaptation guidance
Complete an initial prioritisation exercise identifying accommodation space to be protected for coastal habitat change to promote recovery and adaptation, and identify potential future mechanism(s) to deliver recovery and adaptation, including agricultural subsidies.
Reduce marine litter and marine plastics by implementing the Marine Litter Strategy for Scotland (published 2022) through a six-year action plan that includes: {supporting the improvement of waste management for end of life fishing gear. Enable improved plastic pellet handling and management across the plastics supply chain to reduce pellet loss, and provide guidance to support pellet clean up in…
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