Friday 1 March 2019

Scottish conservation project aims to loch-in £1bn of investment

A new project aims to source £1 billion of investment and direct it into protecting Scotland’s natural environment.

The Scottish Conservation Finance Project, led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), aims to deliver significant environmental, social and economic benefits, as well as returns for investors.

It hopes to unite private, public and non-profit sectors to develop new investment and funding models for large-scale nature conservation activities, such as planting trees, restoring oyster reefs and creating sustainable spaces in cities.

Jonny Hughes, CEO of the Scottish Wildlife Trust said: “Globally, investment in nature needs to increase substantially to meet the growing challenges posed by climate change and biodiversity loss.

"The aim of this new initiative is to provide a practical opportunity to come together, exchange ideas and collectively achieve a lasting impact. Ultimately we want to begin to drive billions of pounds of investment into Scottish conservation in the coming years."

The Scottish Government has given the green light for a new power link connecting Scotland with Norway.