There are a range of ways in which the Scottish Government provides an enabling framework for land use change to align with biodiversity and water quality goals, the key ones being the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), the Strategic Framework for Biodiversity, the Land Use Strategy (LUS) and River Basin Management Planning (RBMP).

NPF 4 is explicit in putting tackling the twin climate and nature crises at the heart of the Land Use Planning System. The requirement to consider the impacts on biodiversity of proposals going through the planning process is enshrined not only in Policy 3 Biodiversity and Policy 4 Natural Places, but across several other policies, including Policy 5 Soils, Policy 9 Brownfield sites and Policy 20 Blue and Green Infrastructure. NPF4 also highlights the importance of improvements to the water environment to support community resilience to flooding, and highlights the importance of high-quality blue infrastructure to support a range of ecosystem services across several policy areas.

The Scottish Government’s Land Use Strategy supports our ambition to achieve sustainable land use in Scotland. The third Strategy was published in March 2021 and resets our focus on the integrated nature of land use by showcasing the range benefits we get from our land, including biodiversity and water quality. The initial development of Scotland’s fourth Land Use Strategy began in late 2024, with the final strategy due for publication by the end of March 2026.

Scotland’s Strategic Framework for Biodiversity sets out our ambition and plans to halt the loss of nature by 2030 and make significant progress to restoring nature by 2045. This Strategic Frameworks sets out how the actions required to halt biodiversity loss and promote nature recovery are being embedded across a wide range of land use and wider policies, for example, the Agricultural Reform Programme which seeks to support our farming and food production sectors to become a world leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture. The focus of support will be to deliver high quality food production, climate mitigation and adaptation, and nature restoration.

Scotland’s third River Basin Management Plans, which are covered in the Land Use strategy, set out objectives and actions to protect and improve our Water Environment and aim to ensure that 92% of the water environment has a good or better classification for water quality by 2027.

Preventing deterioration in the quality of the water environment is a key part of River Basin Management Planning. SEPA supports RBMP objectives, including by regulating sectors and activities that can affect the water environment through The Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011. Anyone intending to carry out any activity that may affect Scotland’s water environment must abide by regulations and, if necessary, obtain an authorisation to proceed.

The Scottish Government’s Land Use Strategy supports our ambition to achieve sustainable land use, while reducing greenhouse gas emission and maintaining globally renowned food production in Scotland. Through the strategy we are seeking to support communities and agencies to contribute to the achievement of this ambition.

The National Planning Framework (NPF4) is a long-term plan looking to 2045 that guides spatial development, sets out national planning policies, designates national developments and highlights regional spatial priorities. NPF4 places climate and nature at the centre of our planning system, supporting the achievement of a net zero Scotland by 2045.

Planning authorities are preparing new local development plans, and they will be instrumental in taking forward NPF4 in different parts of the country, in a way which responds to each of their unique challenges and opportunities.

Aligned with the Verity House Agreement, the Scottish Government has worked closely with COSLA to develop a Climate Delivery Framework (CDF) between national and local government. The Framework will enable better alignment of national and local targets and pathways, agree shared approaches to climate action, and jointly address challenges and barriers to delivery.

The Climate Delivery Oversight Group (CDOG) is co-chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy and Cllr MacGregor, and demonstrates the shared commitment to collaborative working.

The Scottish Government is committed to providing support and guidance to the agricultural sector to adopt low-carbon farming practices, while meeting the changing needs of farmers and crofters. This includes financial support for carbon audits, soil testing, and animal health and welfare measures through the Preparing for Sustainable Farming initiative.

Scotland’s Farm Advisory Service, The Monitor Farm Programme, Agri-Environment Climate Scheme, and Integrating Trees Network offer financial support, provide practical advice, guidance, and skill development opportunities while showcasing the positive impacts of taking action to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Our small and tenant farmers are also able to access this.

Skills, knowledge, training, and Continuing Professional Development for our agricultural sector will be a key component of the Tier 4 complementary support in the Vision of Agriculture support package beyond 2025, which will come into effect on 1 April 2027 and work continues to develop this.

Scotland already produces a wide range of fruit and vegetables; the Scottish Government provides funding through the Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme enabling groups of growers, recognised as Producer Organisations (POs), to increase their competitiveness in the supply chain. We have confirmed that support for the Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme in Scotland will continue for another round of operational programmes from 2026, and remain committed to supporting the valuable fruit and vegetable sector in Scotland.

The Scottish Government recently carried out a consultation looking to review livestock feed controls. We are currently analysing responses to our proposals to relax rules to allow wider use of processed animal protein (PAP) in animal feed. These changes would allow our legislation to reflect current scientific evidence and advice, and allow business innovation in the animal feed sector. They would also allow the Scottish Government to support industry in achieving sustainable farming goals by reducing reliance on imported Soyabean and fishmeal protein for poultry and pig feed.

The Scottish Government’s Land Use Strategy supports our ambition to achieve sustainable land use in Scotland.

The third Strategy was published in March 2021 and resets our focus on the integrated nature of land use, by showcasing the range of demands and benefits we get from our land.

It is through understanding these multiple and sometimes conflicting relationships that we can look to secure the fine balance that will be needed to allow our land to contribute sustainably to our multiple long term national priorities.

The initial development of Scotland’s fourth Land Use Strategy began in late 2024, with the final strategy due for publication in 2026. It will continue our focus on integration and deriving multiple benefits from land.

We are currently working to finalise the Bioenergy Policy Statement (BPS).The draft BPS sets out the ambition for the future of bioenergy, including outlining principles and priorities for biomass use, pathways for bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, and the potential to scale up the domestic planting of perennial energy crops. Developing a thriving and homegrown market for the domestic production of energy crops can help deliver a just transition for our energy sector and provide opportunities for rural communities.

Our draft BPS highlights that expanding the domestic planting of energy crops must only be done where it does not negatively impact wider land use needs, and requirements, such as sustainable food production, and development of the bioenergy sector must align with and support Scotland’s goals for protecting and restoring nature.

The Scottish Government promotes and facilitates the procurement of healthy, fresh and seasonal produce in contracts for food and catering to support our vision of Scotland as a Good Food Nation.

The Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, proposes a range of opportunities to increase the quality and provenance of food and drink procured.

The Act legislates for a number of levers to achieve delivery of the Scottish Government food and drink policy including the sustainable procurement duty where public bodies have a legal duty to take account of how they can improve the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of their area through their procurement activities.

National procurement policy with respect to the climate emergency is set out in Scottish Procurement Policy Note 3/2022 Public procurement - taking account of climate and circular economy considerations. The policy highlights that public bodies should use their public procurement spend to support climate and circular economy ambitions, and signposts sources of support to embed this policy in practice which include the Scottish Government funded Sustainable Procurement Tools which host tools, guidance, case studies and climate and circular economy e-learning.

According to information provided by 107 public bodies in their annual procurement reports for 2022-23, examples of the ways in which environmental wellbeing and climate change were addressed through procurement included: environmental criteria in procurement exercises, using climate action plan templates, and encouraging staff to complete climate literacy eLearning.

The Scottish Government has committed to co-design the development of future support structures and delivery with rural partners. It is right that we take the time necessary to develop the detail of our policies with the people directly affected by them, which is important if we are to deliver on our commitment to a just transition for our farmers and crofters.

This work is being undertaken within the Agricultural Reform Programme and activity includes stakeholder, customer and public communications and engagement, interviews, surveys, workshops, user testing and trials.

The Agricultural Reform Route Map publicly outlines the phased transition from legacy Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) support into the new four-tier framework. It currently sets out the detailed changes for 2025 alongside initial information on the proposed changes for 2026. The Scottish Government has committed to keep the Route Map updated, as additional detail becomes available.

In 2024 our Agricultural Reform Programme Road Show visited 26 events across the country, to talk directly to farmers and crofters about the changes and we will continue to attend shows and markets in 2025. On 2 June 2025, we wrote to everyone that had submitted a Single Application Form this year, to let them know about changes to agricultural support that are coming in 2026. The Scottish Government also funds the Farm Advisory Service, which has also promoted the changes to farmers and crofters, including through in person and online events, podcasts and videos.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting rural employment and providing ongoing opportunities for those involved or wanting to be involved in our land-based sectors, which each contribute to climate action. We do this through many different initiatives.

As set out in the Land Based Learning Review Implementation plan, which was published on 29 January 2025, acting on the recommendations of the independent review will contribute to attracting and equipping more people with the right skills and knowledge that are vital for economic growth, building sustainable communities and addressing the nature and climate crises.

We fund LANTRA Scotland, to contribute to increasing the number and diversity of skilled employees in the land-based, aquaculture and environment sectors by promoting the diverse and rewarding careers available and the economic and environmental benefits of investing in skills.

We support initiatives such as the Farm Advisory Service, the Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund, the New Entrants programme, the Next Generation Practical Training Fund, and the Land-based Pre-apprentice Programme.

Within the forestry sector, examples include: supporting the Industry Leadership Skills Group to establish Forestry Training Services (UK); the delivery of the Women in Forestry and Future Foresters practical training funds; and the Working Woods Scotland course available through the Association of Scottish Hardwood Sawmillers.

Through the publication of our upcoming Land use and Agriculture Just Transition Plan and Rural Delivery Plan, we also seek to cover a wider range of key areas that impact on rural employment, such as agriculture, marine, land reform, transport, housing, skills, digital connectivity, economic development, and health and social care.

As the way we use our land evolves and adapts to meet the climate challenge, these activities will ensure the people who work in our agricultural industry and other land-based sectors are supported to continue to deliver both sustainable food production and improved integrated land use.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting a sustainable future for our livestock sector - one that reduces emissions while maintaining high-quality food production and rural livelihoods. We are investing in a just transition that helps farmers adopt low-emission practices without simply offshoring our environmental responsibilities through increased imports of high-emission meat and dairy.

However, trade is reserved to the UK Government, and recent UK trade deals risk seriously undermining Scottish producers by allowing imports of food produced to different environmental, animal welfare and food safety standards. These agreements threaten to undercut our farmers and increase the consumption of products with a higher carbon footprint. It is deeply disappointing that neither the current nor previous UK Governments consulted the Scottish Government or undertook any impact assessment that reflected Scotland’s specific circumstances - despite our repeated calls for this. Scotland’s agriculture sector faces unique challenges and must be fully considered when trade deals are negotiated. We will continue to press the UK Government to properly consider the needs of Scottish agriculture and to protect the high standards our farmers and consumers expect.