The Scottish Government has just published (Nov 2024) its updated Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045 outlining Scotland's approach to addressing the biodiversity crisis and restoring nature across the country.  

The Strategy aims to reverse decades of habitat destruction, pollution, and unsustainable land management practices. Key actions include improving the quality and connectivity of habitats, reducing the impacts of climate change on biodiversity, and integrating nature restoration into all sectors of policy and planning.

The Vision:

• By 2045, Scotland will have restored and regenerated biodiversity across our land, freshwater and seas.
• Our natural environment, our habitats, ecosystems and species, will be diverse, thriving, resilient and adapting to climate change.
• Regenerated biodiversity will drive a sustainable economy and support thriving communities and people will play their part in the stewardship of nature for future generations.

The Strategy stresses the importance of engaging communities, conservation organisations, and businesses in collective efforts to protect biodiversity, ensuring that these initiatives are locally led and globally significant.

It also outlines a commitment to enhancing data collection, monitoring, and reporting on biodiversity, ensuring that progress towards the goals is transparent and measurable. By 2045, Scotland aims to have an ecologically restored landscape that not only conserves wildlife but contributes to a healthy economy, improves public health, and supports sustainable development. 

The Strategy forms one part of a Strategic Framework for Biodiversity which sets out the
steps to deliver the vision and outcomes. 

The Framework includes three components:

1. The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy 2045 , which sets out the high-level vision and outcomes;
2. Delivery Plans to be reviewed every six years which set out detailed actions to be taken; and,
3. Statutory Targets for nature restoration to be put in place through a Natural Environment Bill which will be introduced this Parliamentary year.

Also just published, the Strategic Biodiversity Delivery Plan 2024 - 2030 contains over 100 actions which include

• substantially reducing deer densities, protecting 30% of land for nature and developing a nature positive agriculture programme;
• investing in nature restoration and 
• tackling the indirect drivers of biodiversity loss, particularly engaging and strengthening the connection between people and nature