Green finance, land reform and a just transition to net zero - a discussion paper
"This paper is the third in CLS’s series of independent discussion papers on the overarching theme of land reform and the common good and contributes to the debate about the relationship between land reform and tackling the twin climate and biodiversity crises;
The paper analyses the main green finance mechanisms, discusses the impact of fiscal measures on the land market and identifies a suite of interventions by which the Scottish Government can take a more proactive role, driving the land use changes necessary to achieve net zero whilst contributing effectively to social justice and community wealth building.
These interventions include: • Review and regulation of green finance mechanisms to ensure that they contribute effectively to net zero; • Reform of subsidies and tax exemptions which distort the land market and perpetuate current unsustainable land use, ensuring that any future fiscal measures are fully aligned to delivering the full range of Government objectives; • Regulation of large-scale landownership and land use through a revised Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement, backed by Public Interest Tests; • Provision of community benefit funds to help ensure a broader distribution of benefits from the transition to net zero.
