Environment charities have called Scotland’s Natural Environment Bill, passed into law by the Scottish parliament yesterday (29 January), a ‘game changer’ for nature.
The bill will require the Scottish government to set legally binding targets to restore Scotland’s nature, and to meet those targets.
Scotland ranks in the lowest 15% of countries globally for the overall health of its biodiversity, and since the 1970s almost half of its species have decreased in number. One in nine species are at risk of extinction in Scotland today.
Scottish Environment LINK, a coalition of 50 environment charities, launched the Scotland Loves Nature campaign in 2024 to call for legal nature targets through a Natural Environment Bill.
Deborah Long, chief executive of Scottish Environment LINK, said:
“Scotland’s people love Scotland’s nature, and the Natural Environment Bill is a victory for all of us. Nature can recover if we help it, and this new law shows that Scotland is ready to give our amazing nature the help it desperately needs.
“Legally binding targets will require our leaders to make nature a priority, putting action in place at every level of society. And crucially, we the public will be able to see whether the targets are being met, and hold government to account.
“Bringing our iconic wildlife and habitats back to health will need committed leadership, funding, and support for Scotland’s communities to restore their local environment. It’s hard to imagine a more vital task, and today gives me hope that together we can set that work in motion. This is a real game-changer.”