Trust reflects on Scottish Government budget

Following publication of the 2025-26 budget, the Trust calls on the Scottish Government and all parties to devote far more resources to fighting the nature and climate crises and deliver a just transition for wild places.

We are optimistic about the Scottish Government’s recommitment to exploring our proposal for a Carbon Emissions Land Tax. We will continue to work with the Government to deliver this transformational policy proposal, especially at a time of financial constraints for government agencies.

We note that the entirety of the relevant portfolios (Net Zero and Rural Affairs, which includes Agriculture) only represent 3.3% of the Government’s total budget. That figure is up by a meagre 0.2% on the previous budget. With only five years to meet our 2030 nature and climate targets this level of underinvestment is inappropriate and disappointing.

We call for the reversal of cuts to the Nature Restoration Fund, the Forestry Grant Scheme and NatureScot and for their budgets to be increased significantly. That is critical if we are to have any chance of meeting our international obligations under the Paris Agreement.

The Scottish Government’s commitment to restoring Scotland’s rainforest is welcomed, and the Trust wants to see significant future investment in this line to ensure the restoration of this critically endangered and internationally important habitat.

Finally, the Trust welcomes the Scottish Government’s commitment to restoring Scotland’s peatlands. We are particularly pleased to see the significant increase in this budget line, signalling to the peatland restoration industry long-term commitment from the Scottish Government to support restoration at the scale required. 

• For more information, contact Thomas Widrow, Head of Campaigns.