The much-anticipated National Strategy for Economic Transformation was finally launched by the Scottish Government on March 1st. Those in attendance in Dundee and present online might have required a pinch and a punch to believe it was really happening, given it had been such a long time coming.

This was an important opportunity for government to break with previous strategies and recognise that our economy is embedded in nature, echoing the findings of Cambridge University economist Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta in his seminal report on the economics of biodiversity.

Some aspects of the new strategy were quite promising. There is an entire box on the nature-positive economy and the need to reverse biodiversity loss by 2030, recognising the fundamental importance of our natural environment. It clearly identifies the need to transform the economy through investment in nature-based initiatives, shift to more sustainable patterns of production and consumption, and live within the sustainable limits of our planet. The conclusion is that this transformation is not only a necessity, but it will also create new opportunities for Scotland to prosper.

The top-line vision in the strategy of a wellbeing economy thriving across economic, social and environmental dimensions is also welcome. There is clear recognition that pursuing growth at all costs is reductive and a commitment to publish a new Wellbeing Economy Monitor which will quite critically include biodiversity measures.

There are five laudable programmes for action and by September these will all have a published delivery plan. The intention is that this is all supported by a new culture of delivery, with objectives shared across the public, private and third sectors.

There is, however, little mention of how the ambition to achieve a nature-positive economy will be taken forward. It’s vital that the nature-positive economy is put on an equal footing with the other priorities and gets its fair share of funding. We cannot repeat previous mistakes of not matching lofty ambitions with the resources to deliver them.

The Scottish Government highlights that it will draw on the strengths of people from all sectors of the economy in a “Team Scotland” approach. There are two ways that government can clearly show that it means what it says.

Firstly, it can engage more widely than currently planned on the development of actions required within the various delivery plans. A truly participatory process, involving greater collaboration across sectors and direct engagement with communities, is needed.

Secondly, the work on securing a nature-positive economy needs to be elevated and given its own delivery plan to turn well-meaning words into action. This is where government can demonstrate from the outset that it intends to work in partnership across all sectors by collaborating with the biodiversity expertise in Scotland’s third sector.

The Scottish Wildlife Trust and colleagues in the environment sector will be proactive in developing this partnership and setting out how we think this vital aspect of the strategy should be taken forward.

Dougie Peedle is head of policy at the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

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