Scottish Government Announce Support for Green Recovery in 2020-21 Programme
The Scottish Government has presented its programme for 2020-21 with a focus on creating green jobs and delivering a green recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The programme includes a £100 million Green Jobs fund over the next 5 years and an expansion of apprenticeship and undergraduate schemes in Scottish Forestry, Forestry and Land Scotland and NatureScot to boost youth employment opportunities in nature and land‑based jobs.
The Government has also agreed to produce an assessment of the nature‑based jobs needed for the transition to a net zero economy in Scotland and how to can develop more nature‑based opportunities.
Some of the other actions to deliver a Green Recovery under the 2020-21 programme include:
- Committed to significantly increasing the rate of peatland restoration
- Continue to support biodiversity, including £3 million for the Biodiversity Challenge Fund in 2021‑22 alongside high‑level statement of intent on biodiversity before the end of the year
Pilot mini‑forests to trial innovative approach to restoring biodiversity - Identify vacant and derelict sites for green infrastructure initiatives
- £2 million Islands Green Recovery Programme
- Develop a network of Climate Action Towns
- Publish the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan