Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024

Part 5 Rural land management and the environment

Plants and soil

16 Assisting persons to promote, protect or improve—

(a) plant health,

(b) plant genetic resources,

(c) soil health and quality, including, in particular—

(i) the physical, chemical and biological condition of the soil, determining its capacity to function as a vital living system and to provide ecosystem services,

(ii) the carbon capacity of the soil.

Greenhouse gases and climate change

17 (1) Assisting persons to—

(a) implement measures to monitor and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture,

(b) take action in respect of those parts of the climate change plan as apply to the sectors of agriculture, forestry, land use and land use change,

(c) adapt to or mitigate against changes to the natural environment (whether attributable to climate change or otherwise),

(d) take action in respect to any relevant plan, policies or objectives relating to agriculture, forestry, land use and land use change.

(2) In this paragraph, “greenhouse gas” has the same meaning as in section 10 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

(3) In this paragraph, “climate change plan” means the climate change plan prepared and laid before Parliament under section 35 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 and the reference to particular sectors are to be construed in accordance with that section.

Natural environment

18 (1) Assisting persons to carry out activities that monitor, preserve, protect, improve or restore biodiversity and the natural environment (in any respect).

(2) Assisting persons to set aside land for the natural environment and to prevent further biodiversity loss.

(3) Assisting persons to carry out deer management activities in order to enhance or protect the natural environment.

(4) Compensating persons in respect of additional costs incurred and income lost by the person in consequence of the implementation of environmental improvement measures including, in particular, measures taken in consequence of an enactment or international agreement.

(5) Assisting persons to carry out activities that preserve or protect land, water, the water holding capacity of land or other resources from the natural environment or human activity (for example, by promoting flood resilience or controlling invasive non-native species).

(6) Assisting persons who have sustained loss or damage in consequence of—

(a) the reintroduction of a native species of plant or animal (including species which were, but are no longer, native to the area of reintroduction by reason of having become extinct in part or all of Scotland),

(b) the activity of a species of wild animal—

(i) which is considered by the Scottish Ministers to have conservation value, and

(ii) the killing or control of which is limited or prohibited by an enactment or an agreement (for example, a lease or other land management agreement).

(7) For the purposes of this paragraph, “animal” means a vertebrate (other than a human) or invertebrate.

Animals

19 (1) Assisting persons to promote, protect or improve—

(a) animal health and welfare,

(b) animal genetic resources.

(2) For the purposes of this paragraph, “animal” means a vertebrate (other than a human) or invertebrate.