Getting to Net Zero: the role of rural land

Rural land will play a key part in meeting the UK’s 2050 Net Zero target, and the impact of this is becoming increasingly visible.

With the debate about how rural land will be affected by decarbonisation gaining momentum, we have interviewed a number of experts involved across a broad spectrum of rural land use – landowning, farming, food production, investment, a charity and academia.

They have shared a diverse range of opinion and many valuable insights, giving us their thoughts on how Net Zero ambitions can be practically achieved, how they might be financed and the opportunities for the sector. The responses provide a current indication of how leading individuals in this area, across the widest range of people involved in rural land, are thinking and acting in respect to Net Zero. We have added our observations on the themes.

We are extremely grateful to our interviewees for sharing their thoughts and hope that this report acts as a springboard to stimulate discussion and productive further thinking for anyone involved with rural land.