<akomaNtoso xmlns:uk="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/UK-AKN" xmlns:ukl="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/legislation" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" xsi:schemaLocation="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0 http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/akn-core/v1.0/cos01/part2-specs/schemas/akomantoso30.xsd"><act name="asp"><meta><identification source="#"><FRBRWork><FRBRthis value="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asp/2026/6"/><FRBRuri value="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asp/2026/6"/><FRBRdate date="2026-03-12" name="enacted"/><FRBRauthor href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/legislature/ScottishParliament"/><FRBRcountry value="GB-SCT"/><FRBRnumber value="6"/><FRBRname value="2026 asp 6"/><FRBRprescriptive value="true"/></FRBRWork><FRBRExpression><FRBRthis value="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2026/6/2026-06-18"/><FRBRuri 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showAs="specified"/></references><notes source="#"><note ukl:Name="Commentary" ukl:Type="I" class="commentary I" eId="key-39bd845984caa3550a035333d05918b1" marker="I1"><p>S. 2  not in force at Royal Assent, see <ref eId="nc9264da36a720688" class="subref operative" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asp/2026/6/section/59/2">s. 59(2)</ref></p></note></notes><proprietary xmlns:ukm="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/metadata" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:dct="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" source="#"><dc:identifier>http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2026/6/section/2</dc:identifier><dc:title>Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026</dc:title><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:publisher>Statute Law Database</dc:publisher><dc:modified>2026-07-03</dc:modified><dc:contributor>Expert Participation</dc:contributor><dct:valid>2026-06-18</dct:valid><ukm:PrimaryMetadata><ukm:DocumentClassification><ukm:DocumentCategory Value="primary"/><ukm:DocumentMainType 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eId="body"><part eId="part-1"><num>Part 1</num><heading>Targets for improving biodiversity</heading><section eId="section-2" uk:target="true"><num>2</num><heading>Reports on compliance with biodiversity duty</heading><subsection eId="section-2-1"><num>(1)</num><content><p>The Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 is modified as follows.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-2-2"><num>(2)</num><content><p><mod>For section 2A, substitute—<quotedStructure startQuote="“" endQuote="”" uk:context="body" uk:docName="asp" ukl:TargetClass="primary" ukl:TargetSubClass="unknown" ukl:Context="main" ukl:Format="double"><section><num>2A</num><heading>Reports on compliance with biodiversity duty</heading><subsection><num>(1)</num><content><p>Each specified public body or office-holder must prepare and publish a biodiversity report in relation to each specified period.</p></content></subsection><subsection><num>(2)</num><content><p>A biodiversity report is a report on the actions taken by the specified public body or office-holder in pursuance of its duty under section 1 during the period to which the report relates.</p></content></subsection><subsection><num>(3)</num><intro><p>A report under this section—</p></intro><level class="para1"><num>(a)</num><content><p>is to be prepared in such form and published in such manner as the public body or office-holder thinks fit,</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(b)</num><content><p>may be incorporated within another report prepared or published by the body.</p></content></level></subsection><subsection eId="d25e126"><num>(4)</num><intro><p>The Scottish Ministers may by regulations make provision about biodiversity reports including, in particular, provision specifying—</p></intro><level class="para1"><num>(a)</num><content><p>the public bodies and office-holders which are required to prepare and publish a biodiversity report under this section,</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="d25e138"><num>(b)</num><content><p>the periods in relation to which reports are to relate,</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(c)</num><content><p>particular information that must be included in a biodiversity report.</p></content></level></subsection><subsection><num>(5)</num><intro><p>A period specified under <ref href="#d25e126">subsection (4)</ref><ref href="#d25e138">(b)</ref>—</p></intro><level class="para1"><num>(a)</num><content><p>may be specified by reference to a specific date or by reference to the frequency with which biodiversity reports are to be prepared and published, but</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(b)</num><content><p>must require a report to be published by a specified public body or office-holder at least once every 3 years.</p></content></level></subsection><subsection><num>(6)</num><content><p>In this section, “<term refersTo="#term-specified">specified</term>” means specified in the regulations made under <ref href="#d25e126">subsection (4)</ref>.</p></content></subsection></section></quotedStructure><inline name="appendText">.</inline></mod></p></content></subsection></section></part></body></act></akomaNtoso>