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Biodiversity

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Why is biodiversity important?

Biodiversity is the variety of species, habitats, ecosystems and genetic resources – in other words, the richness of nature. 

Biodiversity sustains the natural systems that provide vital goods and services to society, supporting tourism, farming, forestry, aquaculture and fishing industries. It adds variety to our urban green spaces and contributes to improving the health and wellbeing of the people of Scotland. For all of these reasons, biodiversity is important to SEPA.

The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy

In 2024, Scottish Government launched a revised and updated biodiversity strategic framework, consisting of:

As a key partner in the delivery of the SBS and in response to this revised strategic context, SEPA is developing an updated biodiversity framework during 2026 to show how we contribute to the delivery of actions in the Delivery Plan, as well as our wider biodiversity duties.

SEPA's role

As Scotland’s principal environmental regulator, our main role is protecting and improving the environment and managing natural resources in a sustainable way. We have clear statutory duties to protect and safeguard biodiversity and ecosystem status through our regulatory and other functions through a range of statute:

SEPA and other public sector bodies in Scotland have a duty to further the conservation of biodiversity. The key business areas where SEPA delivers for biodiversity are:

  • Environmental regulation - protecting designated nature conservation sites during permitting, and reducing the overall burden and impact of pollutants and other regulated pressures in the environment
  • Advising on biodiversity improvements through our responses to the Town & Country Planning system
  • Through the delivery of River Basin Management Planning
  • Through restoration of the water environment funded by the Water Environment Fund
  • Invasive Non-Native Species – as the habitat lead for invasive non-native species in freshwaters.
  • Through the promotion of natural flood measures as part of Strategic Flood Risk Management Strategies

Working in partnership for biodiversity

Protecting and restoring Scotland’s biodiversity depends on individuals, communities and partnerships of statutory, voluntary, academic and business interests working together. We are a member of a range of groups and partnership working for biodiversity, including: