8. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to conserve and grow Scotland’s natural assets. (S5O-05097)

The Scottish Government is committed to conserving and growing Scotland’s natural capital, which underpins our society and our economy. We have made large-scale long-term investments in our natural capital through policies such as the Scottish rural development programme. Our updated climate change plan extends that through long-term investments in woodland expansion and peatland restoration, as nature-based solutions to climate change.

Our commitment to publishing a blue economy action plan will also support the protection of our marine natural capital.

Scotland’s natural environment is our greatest national asset, but global assessments have highlighted the level of threat and the scale of the action that is needed in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change and to help to halt loss of our biodiversity. What progress is Scotland making in response to that crisis, and what actions are being taken to ensure that the assets are protected and conserved for future generations to enjoy?

Our climate change plan update sets out our ambition to manage land in response to the climate emergency, especially in the agriculture, land-use change and forestry sectors. Our biodiversity statement of intent, which was published in December 2020, signalled our ambition for biodiversity in Scotland, and included a commitment to extending the area that is protected for nature to at least 30 per cent of our land by 2030. Since 2015, we have committed more than £200 million in agri-environment contracts to protect and enhance our environment across Scotland. We have also made a commitment to invest £250 million in peatland restoration in the next 10 years.