Communities are ‘vital’ in supporting Scotland’s climate change response

Scottish Land & Estates, the rural business organisation, has said communities are vital in supporting Scotland’s climate change response.

The organisation made the comments in response to a new report from RSPB Scotland, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and WWF Scotland published this week.

Stephen Young, head of policy at Scottish Land & Estates, said:

Our rural areas are key to Scotland’s response to the climate emergency through the expansion of forestry, peatland restoration and the provision of clean energy.

“People, jobs and nature are at the heart of sustaining thriving rural communities so it is important that as we respond to climate challenges that we do not lose sight of the tremendous benefits that traditional sectors such as farming, country sports, tourism and food and drink already provide to the nation.”

‘Programmes in place’ for climate change

Young continued:

There are already programmes in place, such as Wildlife Estates Scotland, to benchmark biodiversity gains as part of land management activity but we would support any assistance that government and stakeholders can provide to enhance the public goods our land can provide.

“We firmly believe that the right public and private investment can deliver for the environment and skilled employment and this is a case we are making especially with regards to a replacement for the Common Agricultural Policy,” he concluded.