Climate change will have important consequences for nature in Scotland. The Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme's theme on the natural environment sets out how Scotland's flora and fauna may be affected by climate change and the aims for our adaptation efforts.

Climate change impacts will be felt across:

  • Biodiversity and ecosystem services - Scotland's habitats and species and the goods and services provided by its plants, soils, rivers and lochs and other natural capital.
  • The health of the seas around Scotland and the species that live in them.
  • The role of land management and marine planning in protecting and enhancing habitats and biodiversity.
  • The productivity of our land and seas and what this means for Scotland's land-based and fishing industries.


The theme has three objectives:

  • Objective N1 - Understand the effects resulting from climate change and their impacts on the natural environment
  • Objective N2 - Support a healthy and diverse natural environment with the capacity to adapt
  • Objective N3 - Sustain and enhance the benefits, goods and services that the natural environment provides

There follows links to the adaptation narratives relating to these objectives. The narratives give context for a group of indicators across one particular area of adaptation. For each narrative we also specify the connected risks or opportunities identified in the CCRA.