Scottish Programme for Government 2026–31: what it means for the ecological sector

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The Scottish Government published its Programme for Government (PfG) for the 2026–31 parliamentary session on 1 September. It sets out the new government’s priorities for the full five-year term, together with a Year One legislative programme of nine Bills. While we highlight existing policy that has received welcome reaffirmation, we lead with areas of concern, including a proposal to merge environmental bodies, and a number of proposals aimed at accelerating planning, consenting and regulation. Another notable omission is a commitment to the future of the Nature Restoration Fund which only features as a past achievement on page 33.

Merging environmental bodies

The most significant announcement for the sector appears in the chapter on public service reform. The government intends to bring SEPA, NatureScot, Zero Waste Scotland, and potentially Scottish Forestry, together “into a single overarching environment body to remove unnecessary barriers and make our environmental interventions more impactful” (p.46).

This will likely come about via the Public Service Renewal (Scotland) Bill, one of the nine Year One Bills, which will give statutory backing, where required, to restructuring “including possible merging and abolitions of public bodies and the transfer of functions between core government and public bodies” (p.77).

The PfG gives no detail on the timetable, the governance of the new body, or how the distinct statutory functions of the constituent organisations would be brought together. Any proposed merger of NatureScot and SEPA into a single environmental organisation would have obvious implications for: delivery of the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy (SBS) and the Nature Environment Act; management of protected areas, including national nature reserves (NNRs); consenting and licensing; regulatory processes; advisory functions; biodiversity delivery; grant administration; and, stakeholder engagement. Another key question will be whether capacity for these functions will be protected through a period of major organisational change. CIEEM will be seeking to engage with all organisations concerned on these points and will look to support members affected in any way we can.

Planning, consenting and regulation

The PfG also signals a clear intention to accelerate the planning and consenting system, framed throughout in terms of housing delivery and investment.

References to reforming the planning and regulatory systems for greater speed and ease appear under a chapter on eradicating child poverty chapter and in the economy chapter, where there is a commitment to “begin consultation on various reforms to simplify our planning and consenting systems to speed up processes, giving greater confidence to those looking to invest while providing local people with confidence and understanding, with implementation from 2027-28” (p.23).

The PfG does not say what the planning consultation will cover, but in the context of the recent consultation on accelerating home building, we have concerns. The forthcoming consultation should establish whether “simplification” is confined to procedure or extends to the substance of environmental protection in the planning system. CIEEM will respond to the consultation and will support members to engage.

In addition, a new Major Projects Office will aim to accelerate progress on and unblock barriers to nationally and strategically significant investment and private capital project delivery (p.23), and legislation will be developed to reform the compulsory purchase system. The government also commits to continue to modernise and strengthen the planning, consenting and regulatory framework for offshore wind in Scottish waters (p.40), and will establish a Scottish Marine Recovery Fund and develop strategic environmental compensation, to help expedite offshore wind deployment (p.37).

A more positive item worth noting is a commitment to “bring together private, public and third sector organisations to maximise the opportunities for nature restoration associated with the unprecedented investment in infrastructure development” (p.38). While no mechanism is described, this may indicate a move towards more strategic, programme-level approaches to mitigation and enhancement.

Continuation of existing policy

Much of the remainder of the environmental content restates the same or similar commitments from the previous Parliament, which are nonetheless welcome, including:

  • implement the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026, “including its statutory targets”, and deliver the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy;
  • pursue woodland creation of 18,000 hectares per year by 2029–30, of which at least 40% native, to reach 21% woodland cover by 2032;
  • restore more than 400,000 hectares of degraded peatland by 2040, with £28 million for 10,000 hectares in 2026–27;
  • support farmers and crofters to deliver climate and biodiversity objectives through the four-tier support system and the Rural Support Plan to 2031;
  • consult on fisheries management measures for inshore marine protected areas and priority marine features;
  • continue implementation of the Wild Salmon Strategy 2023–28; and
  • review and deliver the Wildfire Strategic Action Plan, following this summer’s fires in the Cairngorms.

The government has also committed £14 million to a Coastal Change Adaptation Fund by the end of the Parliament, alongside an additional £15 million for flood mitigation.

Next steps

CIEEM will engage with the Scottish Government and partner organisations on the proposed environment body and the planning reform consultation, and will keep members informed. In the meantime, any members with concerns or views on these issues are encouraged to contact the policy team: policy@CIEEM.net