NFU Scotland has welcomed the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s latest report on climate change and fiscal sustainability as an important step in recognising the scale of investment needed to meet Scotland’s net zero targets.
While the report highlights the fiscal challenges of funding climate action, NFU Scotland is clear that farmers and crofters are already delivering solutions – from production efficiencies that cut emissions, to carbon sequestration through soil management, peatland restoration and farm woodlands.
NFUS Vice-President Duncan Macalister said:
“This report underlines just how big a task net zero is – but it also highlights the need for fairness. Scotland cannot reach its climate targets by placing a disproportionate burden on farming and food production without the significant financial backing required.
Farmers and crofters are part of the solution, but net zero must not be achieved at the expense of the high-quality food production that sustains Scotland’s food and drink sector or the rural communities that depend on it.”
NFU Scotland stressed that a just transition means ensuring that climate policies protect both the environment and Scotland’s ability to feed itself. The Union warned that without long-term certainty, clear funding commitments and practical regulation, farmers and crofters cannot deliver the scale of change required.
As a result, NFU Scotland is calling for:
- Clear, long-term, multi-annual funding commitments to support climate action on farms and crofts.
- Recognition of active agriculture’s role in reducing emissions and capturing carbon.
- Practical, proportionate and fair regulation that reflects the diversity of Scottish farming and crofting.
- Policies that strengthen, not weaken, food production while meeting environmental goals.
Duncan Macalister added:
“Scotland’s farmers and crofters are ready to do more, but they cannot carry the cost of transition alone. With fair funding and balanced policies, we can secure climate action that delivers for the environment, for food security, and for rural Scotland.”
NFU Scotland confirmed it will work closely with the Scottish Government and other partners to ensure that climate targets are met without compromising the future of farming and crofting and all that it delivers.
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Contact Carly Ross on 07860 642 826