Supporting Scotland's Transition - Land use and Agriculture

…for your views on the content of the draft Land use and Agriculture Just Transition Plan. We wanted to know the level of agreement with the proposed Vision, long-term outcomes and short-term objectives, and to find out if you felt they could be improved. It was also important that we identified indicators to monitor and evaluate progress towards these outcomes and objectives and assess the potential impacts they might have on people from rural and island communities.

The consultation, which ran from 6 August 2025 to 5 October 2025, was part of a wider programme of stakeholder engagement to help develop the Plan and inform our work into the future.

You provided us with 39 responses to the consultation, of which 28 were from groups or organisations and 11 from individual members of the public. We are extremely grateful for these and would like to thank everyone who contributed.

The majority of respondents were broadly supportive of the Vision and the overall intent of the Plan. However, there was a strong desire for greater clarity and actionable detail. There was also concern about the pace and scale of change, and a requirement to be more open about the trade-offs that need to be made if we are to balance the various demands placed on Scotland’s land. Many respondents stressed the need for greater integration across land use policy and activity.

The inclusion of short-term objectives was also received positively, with respondents highlighting the need for systemic reform, investment in infrastructure and education, and a clear roadmap that empowers communities and supports equitable land use transitions across Scotland.

With regards monitoring and evaluation, it was generally agreed that although the draft indicators provide a good basis for measuring progress towards the outcomes and objectives, they require significant ongoing refinement to effectively measure progress in the context of a Just Transition. Respondents were broadly supportive of combining indicators with anecdotal evidence, suggesting that whilst quantitative data provides structure, qualitative insights offer depth and relevance.

The insights we have collected during the consultation, and from wider stakeholder engagement carried out prior to this, are being used in the ongoing development of the Land use and Agriculture Just Transition Plan. The consultation and engagement has made it clear that integration and alignment will be key to Scotland’s Just Transition. That is why, in order to best reflect and align with Scotland’s pathway to net zero, the final Land Use and Agriculture Plan will be published later in 2026, post finalisation of the Climate Change Plan 2026 – 2031.