Campaign Supporting Information

Make Space For Nature is a public facing campaign run by NatureScot, aimed at driving behaviour change.  It provides seasonally relevant ways people can ‘Make Space For Nature’ physically and mentally, encouraging them to care for nature and adopt these habits as part of everyday life.

The campaign highlights the strong link between nature loss and climate change, and why we need to care for nature. It also instils a sense of hope if we all take immediate action.

Campaign activity includes media releases and video content across social media (view a selection on YouTube), supported by radio advertising on local commercial radio stations in Scotland.

Let's all pledge to #MakeSpaceForNature this year...and for life. We know #ClimateChange and nature loss are huge global threats. Since 1994 we’ve lost 15% of our wildlife in Scotland, but there is hope – if we all take action now.

For practical ways to really make a difference, go to: https://nature.scot/makespace

What does nature have to do with climate change?

• The twin climate and nature crises are coupled and must be tackled together: we tackle both or we tackle neither.
• Even if we limit climate heating to 1.5ºC, there will still be significant effects, increased weather events, wildfires and impacts on nature. Climate change drives the degradation of nature.
• Nature in Scotland is under threat. One in nine (11%) Scottish species are threatened with extinction and since 1994 we’ve lost 15% of our wildlife in Scotland.
• Nature isn’t just nice to have. We all need nature to survive - from the air we breathe to the water we drink and the food we eat. 
• So we aren’t just in a climate crisis – we’re also in a nature crisis. 
• Nature is impacted by climate change but restoring nature will help to tackle climate change. 
• By protecting nature, we can recover what we have lost and store up to 30% of the necessary emissions globally, helping combat climate change.
• We call these ‘nature-based solutions’. 

What is a nature-based solution?

• We can’t achieve net zero without nature locking away carbon dioxide. Since human activities will always create some emissions, maintaining net zero (forever) is all about nature.
• Nature-based solutions could meet at least 30% of global net zero targets. 
• Nature absorbs and stores a lot of carbon. But when it’s damaged, that carbon can leak out. 
• We have massive amounts of carbon stored in the soil underneath our feet, in our sea beds and in our plants. 
• Scottish peatlands store 1.7 billion tonnes of carbon; this is equivalent to 140 years’ worth of Scotland’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions.
• Peat forms in waterlogged, acidic conditions. Layers upon layers of partially decomposed sphagnum mosses and other bog plants build up, forming peat. This peat-forming process is very slow - it can take 1,000 years to form just one metre of peat.
• We’re already busy restoring our peatlands, increasing the amount of trees being planted and protecting marine areas across Scotland.
• Nature can also protect us from some of the impacts of climate change. More trees around rivers can help prevent flooding. Coastal towns can also be protected by sand dunes and types of grass that prevent erosion. More hedgerows on farms can protect our soil and give animals a home. 
• Natural restoration also includes urban spaces. Spending time in green spaces like parks and public gardens helps improve our mental and physical health, as well as support the urban environment. Planting more trees alone improves the local air quality and can cool urban spaces by as much as 8°C. Trees also reduce rainwater run-off, meaning less sediments and contaminants enter the drainage systems.