NatureScot Research Report 1295 - Youth Survey on NatureScot’s Corporate Plan 2022-2026

The young people were asked to identify any areas of work they felt were missing from the list of priorities. The gaps identified with the most incidences recorded were:

• Monitoring and enforcement
• Transparency and partnership working
• (Public) education and behaviour change
• Nature connectedness
• Accessibility (physical and diversity & inclusion)
• Species reintroduction and rewilding
• Delivery, accountability and leading by example

While some of these elements are included in the priorities, it was felt that they were not prominent enough.

Youth participation

As Scotland’s Nature Agency, we want to ensure that everyone, including all young people, feel empowered and able to take action for a nature-rich future. Of the young people who responded, just under half felt that they were able to contribute to Scotland’s nature-rich ambition, with only 19% strongly feeling that they can personally do so. 52% felt they were less confident or unable to contribute.

It is also important to know what barriers young people believe limit their ability to contribute to achieving their 2030 vision of nature. Over half of respondents (58%) felt there are barriers to young people’s involvement in contributing to a nature-rich future. Top recorded themes were:

• Barriers to skills and jobs
• Believing individual effort is not enough
• Finance
• Being unaware of how to help
• Accessibility (physical and diversity & inclusion)
• Lack of youth voice
• Lack of opportunities and engagement
• Time

While not specifically identified by respondents as a barrier, evidence of eco-anxiety was noted across the survey results. Eco-anxiety is 'distress caused by ecological and environmental degradation' - particularly the lack of action to tackle it. This was seen when respondents were asked to envision a nature-rich future, and when identifying barriers (mostly recorded in responses classed as 'believing individual effort is not enough'). Some respondent’s trust in older generations’ abilities, and particularly in organisations, such as NatureScot, is so damaged that they report a distrust or disbelief in the ability to achieve a nature-rich future at all.

Respondents were also asked to provide suggestions for what NatureScot could do to help remove the barriers. Most recorded themes were:

• (Public) education and behavioural change
• Jobs and career information
• Opportunities for young people to have a voice
• Creation and promotion of opportunities
• Equitable and accessible solutions
• Leadership and influence

It is clear that the young people who responded share an ambitious vision for the future of Scotland’s nature. One which all people are very much a part of. This is supported by the findings in the youth statements review. It is generally agreed that the majority of the draft Corporate Plan 2022-2026 priorities are very important for achieving their 2030 vision, however there were a number of gaps that were identified that need further consideration. The most notable of these gaps were, monitoring and enforcement and NatureScot leading the cultural shift needed for increased nature connectedness and behaviour change within society. The majority of young people said that they feel unable to contribute to this nature-rich future, despite wanting to. Key barriers preventing them from doing so, included issues around jobs and opportunities for meaningful engagement, and accessibility including finances, time, and other diversity and inclusion aspects.

Introduction

Purpose 

As part of wider stakeholder engagement on the development on NatureScot’s 2022-2026 Corporate Plan, NatureScot endeavoured to gather the views of Scotland’s young people to help align the ambitions of NatureScot with that of Scotland’s young people.

A key driver for undertaking this research is the recognition that tackling climate change and biodiversity loss will require increased effort to engage the public and work proactively with a range of stakeholders, particularly those currently under-represented in environmental decision-making. As the Global Biodiversity Framework makes clear, addressing these challenges “will require a participatory and inclusive whole of society approach that engages actors beyond National Governments, including……NGO’s, indigenous peoples and local communities, women’s groups, youth groups,….faith based organisations,….citizens at large, and other stakeholders.” (UN Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat, 2021).

While the primary purpose for this research was to feed into the development of the 2022-2026 Corporate Plan, the views and opinions of the young respondents have wider implications for a range of NatureScot work. This includes future delivery plans, its Youth Engagement Action Plan and equalities duties and mainstreaming agenda (NatureScot, 2021), Nature-based Skills and Jobs Action Plan and stakeholder input into the new Scottish Biodiversity Strategy. There is also hope that the results will help inform partner organisations’ own priorities and work, particularly when engaging with young people. In promoting the results of this survey, we also hope it will help inform partner organisations’ own priorities and work, particularly when engaging with young people.

Youth engagement in environmental decision-making

Decisions on our natural environment and biodiversity today are going to have long-term consequences that not only affect current generations, but future generations too. Over the last few years there has been increased awareness of the role of young people in the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. Young people are not only tomorrow’s leaders, but have made great efforts to be seen as today’s leaders.

Current methods of consultation, stakeholder engagement, decision-making and governance have been shown to present barriers to many groups in society including young people (Decent Jobs for Youth and Generation Unlimited, 2020). Young people in Scotland are also impacted by negative stereotypes which stigmatise young people. A Scottish survey found 24% of respondents viewed young people as lazy, 39% thought they lacked communication skills and 35% said young people do not take responsibility for their actions (Scottish Government, 2017). Amongst others, young people are therefore an underrepresented stakeholder group in many environmental decision-making processes that experience stigmatisation based on their protected characteristic. Barriers young people identified include: time, finances, lack of built-in formalised processes, language, and awareness.

Methodology

Two separate approaches were undertaken:

1. A review of known published youth statements concerning nature and climate change particularly those developed in the run up to, and over the period of, COP26;
2. A survey, designed by NatureScot’s young employees.

To help frane and support the NatureScot Youth Survey on the Corporate Plan, a review of six youth statements (including positions, manifestos and declarations) concerning nature and climate change was conducted. These included both international and national statements, a full list of which can be found in Annex 1 - Youth statement review.

The survey was designed by NatureScot's young employees, and hosted online using Microsoft Formsfor three weeks during November/ December 2021. The survey was well publicised through the NatureScot social media channels as well as distributed to partners, particularly targeting youth networks.

Both the youth statements and the survey’s open-ended question responses were coded into key themes.

Review of Youth Statements

The content analysis of the youth statements resulted in the below key themes (Table 1), many of which are reflected in the survey results.

Table 1. Key themes that appeared in the youth statements and the number of times that theme appeared. A full list of themes can be found in Annex 1 - Youth statement review.

The theme of ‘biodiversity’ was prevalent throughout the youth statements with repeated emergence in both those regarding nature and climate. Other strong themes included discussions of equality, environmental and climate justice, access and accessibility, finance and spending, nature connection, collaboration, and education. These themes of Diversity and Inclusion are key concerns for young people. Topics of ‘intergenerational collaboration’ and ‘youth leadership’ highlight the need for age-specific inclusion. Themes of eco-anxiety and solastalgia also appeared in the analysis. Eco-anxiety and solastalgia refer to emotional or existential distress caused by ecological and environmental degradation, particularly the lack of action to tackle it (Hickman et al., 2021), and the feeling of distress associated with a loss of a sense of place, respectively. They can be understood as feelings of fear, anger or powerlessness. In the statement reviews, these were noted through mentions of ‘immediate action’ and ‘government action’, with eco-anxiety leading to calls for urgent action, particularly urgent government action.

The analysis of these statements echo many of the findings from the survey detailed below. This close alignment suggest that the survey results reflect commonly shared concerns and priorities from other groups of young people in Scotland and beyond.  The survey also uniquely contributes detailed qualitative data specifically tailored for incorporation in NatureScot’s Corporate Plan.

Survey

A total of 113 young people (11-30 years old) from across Scotland responded. There was a relatively even split in the age of respondents with a slight majority (31%) in the 21-25 category. Females responded (62%) twice that of males (31%) and 4% identified as non-binary. There could be a number of reasons for this overrepresentation of female respondents, however, it worth noting that it has been found that females are more likely to complete surveys than males (Smith., 2008; Sax et al., 2003). The majority of respondents classified themselves as white (90%) with the remaining identifying as Asian or being of mixed ethnicity, or preferred not to say. 12% identified as having a disability. There is good geographical representation, with respondents from every district with the exception of the Outer Hebrides and the Shetland Islands. This is fairly reflective of Scotland’s population bar the overrepresentation of females. A full breakdown of respondent demographics can be found in Annex 2 - Survey respondents’ demographics.

The respondents were self-selecting and therefore are likely to represent a portion of the youth population who are already fairly engaged in nature and, possibly, with NatureScot. Therefore, the responses are not representative of the views of all young people in Scotland but rather a group of young people who already have a potential interest in nature and in the work NatureScot undertakes.

The survey presented questions asking young people to tell us what they envisioned nature to look like, the importance of various nature priorities, and their perceived ability to participate in achieving a nature-rich future. Themes have been created for each of the questions, with most prevalent themes explored below and details of all themes found in Annex 3 - Full survey results.

NatureScot’s Focus

What should Scotland's nature look like in 2030?

To begin, the young people were asked to envision what nature in Scotland should look like in 2030. The end of this decade is seen as a key turning point from biodiversity loss, towards a nature-rich future, by many such as the Nature Positive 2030 from the UK Nature Agencies and the G7 2030 Nature Compact.

Within the young peoples’ responses, a range of futures were noted, with some expressing more ambition than others. Pictures were painted of a dynamic, restored and resilient Scotland, teeming with biodiversity, where nature is accessible to all, and people and nature are one and the same. Table 2 lists the highest occurring themes:

Table 2. Highest occurring themes from respondents when asked 'What should Scotland's nature look like in 2030?' Full list of themes, plus descriptions, found in Annex 3 - Full survey results.

Many respondents discussed the ecological and environmental aspects of a nature-rich future with rewilding and biodiversity mentioned often, with particular reference to a recovering and restored nature, where ecosystem health, resilience and connectivity are prominent. For example, one respondent imagined that:

"...Birds would return to cities with the new abundance insects as a food source and fill the streets with colour and birdsongs.  The countryside would no longer consist of large monocultures pumped full with pesticides and fertilisers but would become a dazzling patchworks of agro-forests, small fields and hedges, teeming with wildlife. Government funds would be redistributed to ensure more people could work in the countryside to create this landscape and be paid well..."

‘Increased diversity in biodiversity’ was often related to re-introducing species. In the survey, this was mainly discussed in relation to keystone (an organism that helps define an entire ecosystem), predatory animals, such as lynx and wolves, but also referred to plant life and Invasive Non-Native Species:

“Re-introduction of top predators such as lynx and wolves to control herbivore numbers. Removal of invasive non-native species.”

This view of a nature was shared by older young people and younger people alike:

"I think Scotland’s nature should have diversity, lots of different plants and animals, abundant forests, lively rivers and lots of colour everywhere you look..."

This emphasis on the beauty of nature was extended through the theme of general increase in nature. Young people want to be able to see this beauty in a variety of places, for it to be ubiquitous:

"It [Scotland’s nature] is already so beautiful, but I would love to see more flowers and vibrancy in more urban areas like Glasgow."

The inclusion of people was also mentioned extensively, particularly in highlighting that achieving this abundance of nature requires, what respondents identified as, a ‘cultural shift’. This shift often referenced the need to shift to a culture that values, respects, and appreciates nature. This also included seeing humans as caring for nature, not just as a responsibility, but because it was something people want to do. Many identified the need to close the nature-human divide, with a focus on nature connection (the relationship between people and the rest of nature) and coexistence between humans, plants, and animals as different axes of the same broad concept of ‘nature’. For example, the sentiment of a connection can be seen in the following quote:

"We will have gone a long way to mending the rift between people and nature- the cultural lie that lets us act as if we aren't inextricably linked to all other life. Nature will be integrated into how we live our lives- our homes, our neighbourhoods, where we grow our food, how we educate ourselves, how we collectively cope with the massive turmoil of living at this point in human history...I'd go even further and say we will no longer see the world as an all you can eat buffet of resources laid out before us, only valuable in so far as it can stop our homes flooding, or boost our mood or maybe, just maybe, grow us out of this hole we've dug. We might, instead see it as it is-as our home, our family."

This idea, of seeing nature as “our home, our family”, is mirrored in the Youth #ForNature to #StopTheSame Manifesto. They noted a similar sentiment of harmony and coexistence:

“"This Letter outlines priorities that young people feel must be addressed to set humanity on course for achieving the 2050 vision of “living in harmony with nature”, agreed by world leaders in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).”

A want for a biodiverse natural world, alongside seeing people as part of nature, ties in with another of the key themes identified. It is noted that there are still significant issues regarding which bodies are valued in such discussions and which are excluded. This becomes apparent when we see which spaces are essentially taken from particular peoples, referenced in the youth statement reviews as ‘intersectionality and environmental justice’ and ‘Indigenous and local rights and knowledges’, and ‘available and accessible’ in the survey responses:

“…before I was severely disabled, I loved to go on long walks. I loved going to forests, rivers, mountains, anywhere, especially [sic] if it looked like it was from a mythical fairy tale, which Scotland is well know [sic] for landscapes like that!

Now, the best I can get is when I [sic] dad drives to a location and if I'm lucky enough, there will be one bench. I can sit for a short while, and that's it. If there were more benches, less gravel, more off-road wheelchairs etc, maybe I would have the chance to see a pretty lake again, at least a bit closer.”

With Glasgow being the host city for COP26 in 2021, not only is climate change at the forefront of many people’s minds, but the link between nature and climate change has gained prominence. This was reflected in the respondents’ visions with comments on the impact that climate change will have on the natural world and its need to adapt, as well as nature’s role in helping us to both mitigate and adapt to climate change.

“…nature should be more adapted to the changing temperatures from Climate Change while still growing healthily and flourishing.”

“Young people should be taught the importance of nature in solving climate change…”

“Scotland's land is severally degraded but has the potential to help not only Scotland but the whole of the UK achieve Net Zero.”

The ability to envision a nature-rich 2030 is also impacted by the disabling presence of the climate and biodiversity crises themselves. Like the youth statements, there was evidence of eco-anxiety in the responses, with some respondents struggling to see how such a momentous shift to tackle biodiversity loss can be achieved at this point. This means that, for some young people, it is difficult to even envision a nature-rich Scotland by 2030:

"I know that's a lot to ask for 2030. It feels almost impossible to me, and it feels like a lot to ask of a government agency. I don't have that much trust in the current systems to do what is needed, which is- unprecedented…I don't understand how you can ever do what is required of us now, if you have to fit it into a Corporate Plan. I feel, that we are so fundamentally disconnected as a people, from our place in the world- so separated by supply chains and distraction and the stress of a working week- from what we call Nature."

What areas of work should NatureScot focus on to ensure we reach a nature-rich future?

The survey presented the priority areas that were being explored at the time in the development of the Corporate Plan. The participants were asked to rate how important each priority was to them. Figure 1 below shows the priorities ranked in order of average score.

Conclusion

It is clear that the young people who responded share an ambitious vision for the future of Scotland’s nature. One which all people are very much a part of. A similar picture is evident from the review of youth statements.

Respondents generally agreed that the majority of the draft Corporate Plan 2022-2026 priorities are very important for achieving their 2030 vision, however there were a number of gaps that were identified that need further consideration. The most notable of these gaps were monitoring and enforcement and NatureScot leading the cultural shift needed for increased nature connectedness and behaviour change within society. The majority of young people said that they feel unable to contribute to this nature-rich future, despite wanting to, because of a number of barriers preventing them from doing so, such as: issues around jobs and opportunities for meaningful engagement, and accessibility including finances, time, and other diversity and inclusion aspects.

While delivered to input into the drafting of NatureScot’s Corporate Plan 2022-2026, the findings of this survey, particularly the qualitative input from young people, will also be of use to wider work across both NatureScot and the nature-based sector.  The survey has also acted as a pilot and stimulus to developing a larger and more representative national survey of young people that will allow more in depth exploration of the perceptions, attitudes and behaviours of young people.

References

Decent Jobs for Youth., and Generation Unlimited. 2020. Generation Unlimited and Decent Jobs for Youth.

Hickman, C., Marks, E., Pihkala, P., Clayton, S., Lewandowski, E.R., Mayall, E.E., Wray, B., Mellor, C. and van Susteren, L., 2021. Young people's voices on climate anxiety, government betrayal and moral injury: A global phenomenon. Government Betrayal and Moral Injury: A Global Phenomenon.

NatureScot. 2021. NatureScot Equality Report 2019-2021.

Sax, L.J., Gilmartin, S.K. and Bryant, A.N., 2003. Assessing response rates and nonresponse bias in web and paper surveys. Research in higher education, 44(4), pp.409-432.

Scottish Government. 2017. Public Attitudes to Young People in Scotland.

Smith, W. G. 2008. Does Gender Influence Online Survey Participation? A Record-Linkage Analysis of University Faculty Online Survey Response Behavior. Online Submission: ResearchGate.

UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat. 2021. First Draft of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.

Annex 1 - Youth statement review

Youth statements reviewed:

• Scottish Wildlife Trust Young Leaders Manifesto (Scotland specific)
• Scottish Youth Climate Summit declaration (biodiversity section)  (Scotland specific)
• 2050 Climate Group Youth ask to decision makers (Scotland specific)
• EUROPARC Youth Manifesto (Europe)
• YOUNGO and GBYN Nature-based solutions Youth Position (Global)
• Youth #ForNature to #StopTheSame Manifesto (Global)

Table 6. All themes that appeared in the youth statements and the number of times that theme appeared.

Annex 2 - Survey respondents’ demographics

13           AB = Aberdeen

2             DD = Dundee, Angus

3             DG = Dumfries and Galloway

25           EH = Edinburgh, Midlothian

11           FK = Falkirk, Stirlingshire

12           G = Glasgow, Lanarkshire

0            HS = Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides

12          IV = Inverness

5             KA = Kilmarnock and Ayr, Ayrshire

3             KW = Kirkwall, Caithness

3             KY = Kirkcaldy, Fife

2             ML = Motherwell, Lanarkshire

4             PA = Paisley, Renfrewshire

9             PH = Perth, Perthshire

1             TD = Galashiels, Selkirkshire

0             ZE = Shetland Islands

7             prefer not to say/not recordable