Report urges scrapping subsidies for Conifer forests to combat climate crisis

A report from the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) has called on ministers to rethink the substantial subsidies and tax breaks allocated to conifer forests, arguing that they do little to address the climate crisis. Instead, the report suggests redirecting funds towards planting longer-living native forests, which offer clearer benefits for climate and biodiversity.

According to the RSE, the Scottish and UK governments have allocated tens of millions of pounds in subsidies to the timber industry, with the majority going towards commercial conifer plantations. However, these monoculture plantations have shorter lifespans and fewer ecological benefits compared to native broadleaf trees.