1. Crofting law reform

    Analysis of consultation responses published.

  2. Attracting private investment in nature

    Launch of Scotland’s Natural Capital Market Framework.

  3. Nature’s role in economy

    Jobs and sectors dependent on sustainable natural world.

  4. National Park consultation

    Extended time to comment on proposal for Galloway to become a National Park.

  5. Climate change - Scottish National Adaptation Plan 2024-2029: child rights and wellbeing impact assessment

    Child rights and wellbeing impact assessment undertaken for the Scottish National Adaptation Plan 2024 to 2029.

  6. Climate change - Scottish National Adaptation Plan 2024-2029: children's version

    Children's version of the Scottish National Adaptation Plan 2024 to 2029. This version can be used to support learning and sets out the actions the Scottish Government and partners will take to respond to the impacts of climate change from 2024 to 2029.

  7. Climate change - Scottish National Adaptation Plan 2024-2029: joint equalities impact assessment and Fairer Scotland Duty assessment

    Joint equalities impact assessment and Fairer Scotland Duty assessment undertaken for Scottish National Adaptation Plan 2024-2029.

  8. Climate change - Scottish National Adaptation Plan 2024-2029: island communities impact assessment

    Island communities impact assessment undertaken for the Scottish National Adaptation Plan 2024-29.

  9. Climate change: Scottish National Adaptation Plan 2024-2029

    Sets out the actions that the Scottish Government and partners will take to respond to the impacts of climate change. This Adaptation Plan sets out actions from 2024 to 2029.

  10. Climate change - draft Scottish national adaptation plan 3 2024 - 2029: consultation analysis

    Analysis of responses to consultation on the draft Scottish National Adaptation Plan 3 (SNAP3) 2024 to 2029.

  11. Realistic Medicine - Taking Care: Chief Medical Officer for Scotland annual report 2023 to 2024

    This is the Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Gregor Smith's fourth annual report, and the eighth report on Realistic Medicine. The overarching aim of Realistic Medicine is to deliver better value care for patients, and for our health and care system.

  12. Scotland's Land Use Strategy Annual Progress Report – 2023/2024

    Fifth annual progress report on Scotland's land use strategy, as required under Section 37A of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. It covers the period of March 2023 to March 2024.

  13. World Heritage status for Flow Country

    UNESCO recognise global importance of its natural habitat.

  14. New National Park is proposed in Galloway

    Consultation and study to begin.

  15. Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 strategy: progress report

    This sets out the policy framework for air quality in Scotland to 2026 and includes a comprehensive list of actions across ten policy areas. This third annual report summarises progress on actions since the last report in September 2023.

  16. Record high peatland restoration

    Improving climate change resilience.

  17. Aithris Bhliadhnail air Plana Nàiseanta nan Eilean 2023

    Gaelic version of the National Islands Plan annual report 2023

  18. Local living and 20 minute neighbourhoods - planning guidance: final impact assessment report update

    This impact assessment report update relates to our planning guidance on local living and 20 minute neighbourhoods which was produced to support the implementation of the policy framework within the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4).

  19. Local living and 20 minute neighbourhoods: planning guidance

    The guidance on local living and 20 minute neighbourhoods aims to encourage, promote and facilitate the application of the Place Principle and create connected and compact neighbourhoods which prioritise environmental, social and economic sustainability.

  20. Agriculture and Rural Communities Bill

    Supporting sustainable farming and crofting.

  21. Rural and island community support

    Spring Budget needs to invest in environment and food production.

  22. Nominations for new National Park

    Assessment of nominations will now begin.

  23. Climate change - national adaptation plan 2024 to 2029: consultation

    The effects of climate change are already being felt by people in Scotland. That is why, as well as taking action to reduce emissions, we must also take steps to adapt to climate change. This consultation seeks your views on the Scottish National Adaptation Plan 2024 to 2029.

  24. Climate change - national adaptation plan 2024 to 2029: consultation - easy read

    The impacts of climate change are already being felt by people in Scotland. That is why, as well as taking action to reduce emissions, we must also take steps to adapt to climate change. This is an easy-read version of the consultation on the Scottish National Adaptation Plan 2024 to 2029.

  25. National Good Food Nation Plan

    The national Good Food Nation Plan sets out six over-arching Outcomes for a Good Food Nation; the range of targets and indicators that will be used to gauge progress towards achieving them; and details of a wide range of food-related policies and initiatives from across the Scottish Government.

  26. Green land investment in rural Scotland: social and economic impacts

    Outlines the findings of research into the range of potential social and economic impacts relating to new forms of green land investment in rural Scotland.

  27. Scottish Household Survey 2022: Key Findings

    Selected findings from the 2022 Scottish Household Survey, organised by topic area.

  28. Scottish islands: data overview 2023

    This report gives a snapshot of Scotland's island-level data as collated in the new Scottish Islands Data Dashboard and draws out key findings relating to each of the strategic objective topic areas set out in the National Islands Plan.

  29. Land use strategy: fourth annual progress report 2022-2023

    Fourth annual progress report on Scotland's land use strategy, as required under Section 37A of The Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019. It covers the period of March 2022 to March 2023.

  30. New National Parks: nominations guidance and appraisal framework

    Information on the nomination process for the New National Park(s) project, including links to all key documents for nominating groups.

  31. Out to Play - caring for our outdoor spaces

    Guidance to make the most of the outdoor spaces your early learning and childcare settings use and caring for the environment through embedding Learning for Sustainability. This guidance supports practitioners to provide high quality outdoor play experiences.

  32. New National Parks - appraisal framework: consultation analysis

    Consultation analysis report on the draft appraisal framework criteria for new National Parks.

  33. Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003 (Conservation Bodies and Rural Housing Bodies) (Miscellaneous Amendment) Order 2023: EQIA

    The equality impact assessment (EQIA) supports the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003 (Conservation Bodies and Rural Housing Bodies) (Miscellaneous Amendment) Order 2023.

  34. Future of National Parks: strategic environmental assessment - environmental report

    This environmental report is part of the strategic environmental assessment for the future of National Parks in Scotland.

  35. Environment - guiding principles: statutory guidance

    This guidance provides information on how officials across government should apply the environmental principles when developing policy.

  36. Environment - guiding principles consultation: statutory guidance – Parliamentary statement and analysis report

    As required by section 18(4) of the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 the Scottish Government has provided a parliamentary statement and an analysis report on the consultation on Scotland’s Guiding Principles on the Environment: Statutory Guidance.

  37. Just transition in land use and agriculture: a discussion paper

    This discussion paper is intended to support engagement on a just transition for the land use and agriculture sectors. Building on this engagement, a draft targeted action plan and route map (late 23/24) will outline the key steps to delivering a fair transition.

  38. Scottish Natural Capital Accounts: 2023

    This report estimates quantity and value of services supplied by Scotland's natural capital.

  39. New National Parks - appraisal framework: consultation

    We produced an appraisal framework to support the assessment of nominations for new National Park designations in Scotland. This consultation is seeking your views and comments on this and the selection criteria for new National Parks.

  40. New National Parks - nomination process and draft appraisal framework: consultation

    We produced an appraisal framework to support the assessment of nominations for new National Park designations. This consultation is seeking your views and comments on this and the selection criteria for new National Parks in Scotland.

  41. Next steps for national parks in Scotland

    Call for expressions of interest from local areas.

  42. Local living and 20 minute neighbourhoods - planning guidance: consultation

    We are seeking views on this draft guidance on local living and 20 minute neighbourhoods to support the implementation of National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4).

  43. Local living and 20 minute neighbourhoods - draft guidance consultation: impact assessment report update

    The impact assessment report update relates to the consultation on our draft guidance on local living and 20 minute neighbourhoods, produced to support the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4).

  44. Environment Strategy for Scotland: second progress report

    The second annual report to Parliament on progress in developing the Environment Strategy for Scotland, as required under the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021.

  45. National parks - challenge exercise: summary analysis

    Summary analysis of contributions made to the 'Future for National Parks in Scotland' challenge exercise, May to June 2022, on our public dialogue platform www.ideas.gov.scot.

  46. Scotland's Blue Economy: current status review

    Describes our starting position in the transition to adopting a Blue Economy approach to marine sectors, communities, and the environment. It provides us with the foundation to consider how we can track our progress and determine if significant and lasting change is occurring.

  47. Funding to help nature projects grow

    Supporting and scaling up responsible investment in nature.

  48. Scotland’s international reputation grows

    Natural Beauty, Tourism and Governance score highly in new survey.

  49. Protecting and enhancing nature

    More funding for local nature restoration projects.

  50. New National Parks for Scotland

    Public encouraged to take part in consultation.

  51. Scottish Natural Capital Accounts 2022

    This report estimates quantity and value of services supplied by Scotland's natural capital.

  52. Promoting responsible investment in Scotland’s natural assets

    New principles to develop a socially fairer, high-integrity market.

  53. Big ambitions for Wee Forests

    Connecting people and nature.

  54. California signs Scotland’s world-leading nature declaration

    Governments and cities encouraged to take action for nature at COP26.

  55. Transforming derelict land

    First grants awarded from new £50 million fund.

  56. Land use strategy 2016-2021: second annual progress report

    Second annual progress report on the land use strategy, as required under Section 37A of The Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019. It covers the period of March 2020 to March 2021.

  57. Woodland ownership: key data

    Key data taken from analyses of a survey of woodland owners carried out between 2012 and 2015.

  58. Implementation of Scottish Government policy on protecting Ramsar sites

    This note provides guidance on how the Scottish Government expects its policy on the protection of Ramsar sites to be implemented.

  59. Natural heritage designated areas in Scotland: map

    Map showing all the natural heritage designated areas in Scotland.

  60. Scottish Natural Heritage: factsheet

    Information on Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), our lead advisory body on nature, wildlife management, and landscape management across Scotland.

  61. Making more of Scotland’s land

    Vision for land rights and responsibilities.

  62. Scottish land rights and responsibilities statement

    Statement of land rights and responsibilities in Scotland, as required by Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016.

  63. Land access: monitoring implementation of Part 1 of the Land Reform Act

    Trends summary and full monitoring reports collating data submitted by the access authorities regarding implementation of Part 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.

  64. National Scenic Areas of Scotland: maps

    Maps of all the National Scenic Areas (NSAs).

  65. National Scenic Areas of Scotland: overview map

    Map showing all 40 of the National Scenic Areas (NSAs) in Scotland.

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