Land and the environment

Land use change will play a major role in reaching Scotland’s climate and nature targets, but how that change is carried out matters just as much as what is delivered.

Climate targets mean major land use change

Meeting Scotland’s climate and nature goals will require significant changes in how land is used and managed across the country.

Environmental change needs public trust to succeed

Environmental benefits alone are not enough, people need to see fairness in how change happens.

A just transition needs participation

A fair transition means people and communities are involved in decisions and see clear local benefits from investment and change.

Scotland’s net zero and nature recovery commitments mean there will be major changes in how land is managed over the coming decades. The Scottish Government has also committed to delivering this through a just transition, which means that people and communities should be involved in shaping change, and should share in the benefits that come from it.

Achieving these goals will depend not only on what changes on the land, but how decisions are made. People are more likely to support change when it is transparent, locally rooted and designed to reflect the needs and priorities of the place, not only national policy.

Regional Land Use Partnerships are one of the emerging ways Scotland is trying to make this possible. They aim to bring different interests around the table and connect national climate targets with local priorities. The approach is still developing, and building meaningful participation will take time, but it represents a shift toward land use change being planned with communities rather than for them.

• Read our Advice to Scottish Government on Regional Land Use Partnerships
• Read our Response to the Land Use Strategy 4

The transition to a net zero economy is driving major changes in how land is used in Scotland. New markets linked to carbon, nature restoration, and renewable energy are becoming more influential, and this is attracting new buyers to the land market, as well as shaping decisions by existing landowners and managers.

These changes bring both opportunities and risks. Natural capital investment can support climate goals and nature recovery, but it also raises important questions about who benefits, how decisions are made, and what this means for communities and places.

We have published guidance to support responsible approaches to natural capital investment and to help landowners and investors consider community benefit from the outset.

Environmental land use change is also reshaping decisions on farmland, particularly where there is interest in planting trees or restoring habitats. For owner-occupier and tenant farmers, these changes involve real opportunities and trade-offs between conventional practices, new types of diversification, and long-term land use planning.

The Tenant Farming Commissioner has produced guidance to support constructive conversations between landlords and tenants about tree planting on farmland, helping ensure that environmental objectives are balanced with existing business needs, livelihoods, and long-term tenancies.

• Read the Guidance on tree planting on tenanted agricultural holdings

We support a fair transition by helping organisations make decisions about land in an open and responsible way. We share examples of what good practice looks like, and we gather evidence on how environmental land use change is affecting communities.