COP26 One Year On: Nature

Written by Rhona Smith, Policy Team Volunteer

The connection between nature and climate change

Our earth is in the midst of a nature crisis and we are experiencing a dangerous decline in species and habitats, and humans are undeniably causing it. Protecting and restoring our natural world does not only benefit the species we are currently systematically eliminating, but it is also essential in the fight against climate change. Young people in Scotland and around the world deserve to inherit a healthy, diverse and resilient natural environment.

Highlights of COP26 and what has happened since

So did these important climate talks held in our ‘Dear Green Place’ last year match the ambition and urgency that is required of them? Nature was given prominence at many of the climate talks at COP26 in Glasgow last year and the leaders put forward a declaration on forests and land use. We were glad to see that this declaration and the Glasgow Climate Pact (the final agreement of COP26) acknowledged the importance of all biodiversity and ecosystems, not just forests and trees, as well as recognising the interconnection between both the nature and climate crises. A series of pledges, commitments and announcements were made as action points to tackle the nature crisis and focussed mainly on deforestation, agriculture and nature based solutions. Carbon Brief has a handy overview of these actions here. 

Deforestation:

At COP26, under the Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forests and Land Use, more than 140 countries pledged to halt and reverse deforestation and land degradation by 2030. The UK Government committed to accelerate tree planting, with a UK wide target of 30,000 hectares of new woodland being created every year by 2025. Scotland is committed to plant 18,000 hectares a year by 2024–25 (60% of the UK target). As of June 2022, around 10,480ha have been planted in Scotland, compared to 2,260 ha of new woodland created in England, 580 ha in Wales and 540ha in Northern Ireland. 

When former Prime Minister Liz Truss announced the mini budget in September 2022, conservation charities across the country expressed serious concern with the plans to amend or scrap crucial environment laws and introduce ‘investment zones’ in England (with plans to extend to the devolved nations in the future) which enable scrapping of planning rules. The result of these plans will be that trees and woodlands are undervalued and deforestation will accelerate. 

Scotland’s Environment Minister Mairi McAllan and Biodiversity Minister Lorna Slater have written to the UK Government urging them to drop the proposals announced in its mini-budget, which they say “demonstrate a reckless attitude to legislation that has been developed over many decades and that enshrines vital protections for both nature and people.” Before COP27, the UK must reverse the attacks on nature in this country and reinstate policies which protect and restore natural habitats. 

Agriculture: 

At COP26, 103 countries signed up to the Global Methane Pledge to collectively reduce methane emissions 30% below 2020 levels by 2030. Under the Scottish Government’s updated Climate Change Plan, agriculture needs to reduce its emissions by 31% from 2019 levels by 2032. However, emissions from agriculture and land use have been relatively flat since 2008. Take-up of low-carbon farming and productivity measures has been too low. Land-use changes (e.g. peatland restoration and afforestation) have been below required levels and have yet to meet delivery targets across the UK. 

In the run up to COP27, details on the transition from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is urgently needed across from the UK government, especially for new agricultural subsidies and land management. Incentives are essential for the take-up of low-carbon farming measures and land-use changes such as afforestation and peatland restoration. Achievement of our ambitious targets requires substantial changes to the status quo and we want to see this at COP27. 

Nature based solutions:

Nature-based solutions are ways to work with nature to address societal challenges, providing benefits for both human wellbeing and biodiversity. A few months after COP26, the UN Environment Assembly formally agreed on a definition of nature based solutions and recognised their importance in the global response to climate change.

Supporting and financing the use of nature to address climate change is expected to feature prominently in the upcoming climate negotiations at COP27. Effective implementation of nature based solutions is dependent on the extent to which they are tailored to local challenges, communities and ecosystems. We hope that leaders at COP27 will adopt a clear definition of nature based solutions alongside appropriate standards to ensure benefits for people, climate and biodiversity. 

Look out for Biodiversity day at COP27 on 16th November, where world leaders will examine the interdependence of biodiversity and climate change by presenting the latest scientific research and nature-based solutions. They will also look at the progress made for the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use, signed by 145 countries. 

What more can be done? 

Food systems, the role of Indigenous people in nature conservation and protection and detail on nature based solutions were all left lacking in the final agreement of COP26. With the phrase ‘think global, act local’ in mind, here are some examples of local actions taken to restore and protect our natural environment. 

Example 1. Building a sustainable local food system: Locavore

Achieving climate-resilient food systems that can address the world’s growing needs requires collaboration across all levels of society, including governments, businesses and smallholders. At COP27, there will be a specific focus on how we scale up the solutions required to meet our growing food demand in a climate-resilient way and we wanted to share a local example of a community interest company with this as their mission. Locavore has an ambition to build a better food future for Scotland and recently published their strategic plan which sets out how they plan to achieve this: https://locavore.scot/bigger-plan/ . We want governments to adopt scalable solutions to the nature crisis and this is a strong example of what can be achieved.

Example 2. The role of indigenous peoples: The Ghost Rainforest

Scotland’s rainforest is in trouble and only 30,000 hectares remain (an area only slightly bigger than Edinburgh). Our own unique rainforest and the many rainforests around the world are in critical danger and require international cooperation to halt the deforestation and degradation of these important ecosystems. An important piece of the puzzle in tackling deforestation is involvement of the people and communities that live and work in and near the remaining forested areas and Indigenous communities should be at the forefront of decision making. The Ghost Rainforest is a film which intends to help raise awareness of the issues facing this rare habitat, and the shared struggle to protect it. Filmed at COP26 last year, it provides an insight into the connection Indigenous people have with nature and emphasises the importance of including them in local and global initiatives and policies. 

Example 3. Nature based solutions: B-Lines

Pollinators are a prime example of a nature based solution and essential to a healthy and functioning ecosystem. To make urban areas more pollinator-friendly, cities can reduce pesticide use and increase the size of green spaces and plant species diversity. Green networks and corridors help prevent in-breeding of isolated populations, which can lead to species extinction. The B-Lines project is an example from central Scotland of a landscape scale initiative with an emphasis on connectivity for promoting biodiversity and protecting nature.