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The future of UK land use: Why the debate needs us all at the table
Our chief executive, Beccy Speight, explains why for nature, climate and people to exist in harmony, we must have an urgent and open conversation about how our land is used across the UK.
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There has been much recent debate about the future of UK land use. There is only a finite amount of land, yet there are many competing demands on it – from crop production and livestock grazing, to timber production and housing, to biodiversity and climate change mitigation and adaptation. There is a difficult balancing act to ensure that all needs are met, but it’s a challenge from which we can’t afford to shy away.
That’s why RSPB scientists have been investigating how the UK’s combined land mass could help meet all our future needs of nature, climate and people through the Land Use Scenarios Project:
The research demonstrates the need to make the right choices in the right places; for instance, the findings suggest that an increase in habitat creation and restoration (through nature-based climate solutions) could drastically cut UK carbon emissions. These measures can also benefit peoples’ homes, businesses and livelihoods through the reduction of flood risk and improved water quality. However, it is also clear that careful planning and positive interventions are needed in order to ensure that nature can thrive while also producing enough food for people.
There are no easy answers. But one thing that the science demonstrates loud and clear is the need for a joined-up approach. That means all of us - from conservation scientists, farmers and landowners to businesses and governments - stepping out of our comfort zones and thinking holistically about how we answer the big questions facing the future of UK land use.
How does it all stack up?
Finding solutions that work for multiple purposes is possible, but only if nature has a seat at the top table. Any land use decisions which don’t put the impact on our planet at their core are too short term in view.
If we want truly lasting positive change, we have to ensure we are protecting our natural resources and harnessing the power of nature. After all, nature is proven to deliver a whole host of complimentary benefits to people, livelihoods and landscapes, but only when it is properly restored and protected.
From nature-based solutions to nature friendly farming, many of the tools available to us are already being deployed to a limited extent across the UK, delivering multiple benefits and demonstrating how the needs of nature, climate and people can be met harmoniously. Now all that remains is to strategically decide at what greater scale we can utilise these measures, alongside meeting other societal needs and reducing carbon emissions, in order to meet net zero.
We’ve no time to waste
We are in a nature and climate emergency, and the decisions we make around land use today are of paramount importance for the future. As the Land Use Scenarios Project demonstrates, the opportunities for scale and ambition to meet this challenge are huge, but they must be implemented in a sustainable and strategic way in order to maximise their impact.
Land use decisions are complex, but every day we spend without action is taking us closer to the cliff edge. Time is running out to make the best available decisions when it comes to land use, and for the sake of our planet and our own futures, nature can’t wait.
We don’t have all the answers. An urgent and open conversation is needed about the future of land use here in the UK. We must all come together, from conservation scientists, farmers and landowners to food businesses and governments, if we are to tackle this challenge head on.
While this isn’t an impossible challenge, it is hard. But should we expect anything less when we’re debating the future of our planet, our landscapes and our own future in the face of huge threat?
