Scottish Environment LINK, a coalition of 50 environmental groups, has tracked the Scottish government’s 2024 Biodiversity Strategy, analysing all 136 actions in the plan. It finds that around one in seven (18 actions) are complete, about half (69) are in progress, and more than a third are behind schedule (16 delayed and 33 not started).The tracker also includes a nature recovery score showing that, although action is underway, it is not yet translating into large-scale nature recovery.
Predicted contribution of government action to nature recovery by 2030.
The findings come as Scotland enters a critical period for nature following the passing of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act, which will require the government to set legally binding targets to restore nature.
NatureScot revealed that it monitored only 3.1% of protected features last year, and that a quarter of protected sites in Scotland are in unfavourable condition. Invasive species and grazing pressure are the two largest negative pressures on natural features.