John Swinney has promised to make Scots ‘healthier and wealthier’ in today’s Programme for Government. But we know there’s a missing piece of the puzzle - nature.

Wilder nature could boost our health and wellbeing, support local economies and help us tackle climate breakdown. Today’s Programme for Government was a test of the Scottish Government’s willingness to set us on the pathway to a Rewilding Nation. This Programme for Government, with its reduced peatland and woodland restoration targets, weak commitments to consult on real protections for marine areas and nature targets that appear as an afterthought, fails that test.

With no nature minister in government and no plan for the large-scale recovery of Scotland’s ecosystems, we’re seeing the effects of this across every decision this government makes. 

Backtracking on beavers - by undermining the Scottish Beaver Strategy.

Overlooking oysters - by stalling on introducing real protections for marine areas.

Losing nerve on lynx - by sidestepping a reasoned debate on lynx reintroduction. 

In response to the Programme for Government announced by the Scottish Government today, Karen Blackport, co-convenor of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance and chief executive of Bright Green Nature, said:

“Once again nature is the Scottish Government’s blind spot, undermining John Swinney’s promises to make Scots healthier and wealthier. Today’s Programme for Government is a missed opportunity for transforming Scotland from one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries to a forward-looking Rewilding Nation with 30% nature recovery across land and sea.

“Rewilding boosts health, jobs and local economies, and helps tackle climate breakdown – but the government still lacks a nature minister or a plan for the large-scale recovery of Scotland’s ecosystems. Instead, ministers are backtracking on beavers, stalling on real protections for marine areas, and showing a loss of nerve on lynx reintroduction by dodging reasoned debate on this crucial issue.

“We want to see a Programme for Government that makes Scotland healthier, wealthier - and wilder."