Biodiversity strategy
We published our final-draft Biodiversity strategy to 2045: tackling the nature emergency in December 2022. This sets out our vision for halting biodiversity loss by 2030 and reversing declines by 2045.
This will be designated as our formal biodiversity strategy following a consultation on the full strategic framework of strategy and supporting delivery plan in 2023.
The existing biodiversity strategy is made up of two documents:
- Scotland’s biodiversity: it’s in your hands, published September 2004: a strategy for conserving biodiversity in Scotland up to 2030 (html and PDF versions in website archive) (PDF only version on this site)
- 2020 challenge for Scotland’s biodiversity, published June 2013: a plan for how we will achieve the desired outcomes of the European Biodiversity Strategy for 2020 and the UN Aichi targets
While the objectives of the 2004 publication are still valid, the way we are taking forward the strategy has changed.
Reporting on progress
The Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 requires us to report on our progress with the strategy every three years.
We published the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy: progress report 2014-2016 in July 2017. It records the progress we’ve made and highlights the challenges which lie ahead if we are to meet the aims of the 2020 challenge for Scotland’s biodiversity.
View previous progress reports in the archive.
Governance structure
The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy (SBS) Coordination Group, chaired by NatureScot, oversees reporting and the delivery of the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy.
Find further governance information on the NatureScot website.