UK Target 10: The UK will ensure that areas under agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries and forestry are managed sustainably, in particular through the sustainable use of biodiversity, including through a substantial increase of the application of biodiversity-friendly practices, such as sustainable intensification, agroecological and other innovative approaches, contributing to the resilience and long-term efficiency and productivity of these production systems, and to food security, conserving and restoring biodiversity and maintaining nature’s contributions to people, including ecosystem functions and services. 

Commitments:

UK

• The Fisheries Act 2020 requires that the precautionary approach to fisheries management is applied, and exploitation of marine stocks restores and maintains populations of harvested species above biomass levels capable of producing maximum sustainable yield. 
• The Fisheries Act 2020 requires that fish and aquaculture activities are environmentally sustainable in the long term, and managed so as to achieve economic, social and employment benefits and contribute to the availability of food supplies, the fishing capacity of fleets is such that fleets are economically viable but do not overexploit marine stocks.
• Through the UK Marine Strategy, the UK is committed to the following targets relating to commercially-exploited species: the fishing mortality rate of populations of commercially-exploited species is at or below levels which can produce the maximum sustainable yield; the spawning stock biomass of populations of commercially-exploited species are above biomass levels capable of producing the maximum sustainable yield. 
• As a Contracting Party to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO), the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) and the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC), the UK commits to establishing binding measures for the long-term conservation and sustainable management of straddling fish species, making sure that fishing activities minimise adverse impacts on biodiversity and marine ecosystems. 

England

• We are implementing a set of targeted Environmental Land Management schemes that encourage farmers to deliver environment, climate, and animal health and welfare outcomes alongside supporting viable businesses and maintaining food production at its current level, increasing this to up to 60% by 2030.
• We will bring at least 40% of England’s agricultural soil into sustainable management by 2028, increasing to 60% by 2030.
• We will improve the quality, consistency and availability of soil data by 2029.
• We will support farmers and land managers to create or restore 48,000 km of hedgerows by 2037 and 72,500 km of hedgerows by 2050.
• By December 2030, we will double the number of farms providing sufficient year-round resources for farm wildlife, compared with 2025 (this is an Environment Act interim target).
• We will create and implement a new farming roadmap.
• We will create and implement a new food strategy.
• We will manage our marine fisheries in a way designed to maintain or restore stocks to a sustainable level to achieve the environmental, economic and social commitments as required under the Joint Fisheries Statement and Fisheries Act 2020.

Scotland

• We will deliver the Vision for Agriculture to become a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture and develop an agricultural support framework that delivers nature restoration, climate change mitigation and adaptation high-quality food production.
• We will continue to drive down and deliver substantially reduced deer densities across our landscapes.
• We will integrate enhanced conditionality of at least half of all funding for farming and crofting by 2025. As part of this conditionality, we expect recipients of support to deliver on targeted outcomes for biodiversity gain and low emissions production.
• We will deliver the Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture that places an enhanced emphasis on environmental protection and community benefits.
• Through delivering our vision for Scotland’s circular economy, we will drive responsible consumption, production and reuse (responsible production: where a circular economy is embraced by the businesses and organisations that supply products, ensuring the maximum life and value from the natural resources used to make them).
• We will implement a sustainable approach to sea fisheries, using best available scientific advice, and minimising adverse impacts on non-target species and habitats.

Wales

• The sustainable land management objectives in our Agriculture (Wales) Act establish four sustainable land management objectives, which are: to produce food and other goods in a sustainable manner; to mitigate and adapt to climate change; to maintain and enhance the resilience of ecosystems and the benefits they provide; and to conserve and enhance the countryside and cultural resources and promote public access to and engagement with them, and to sustain the Welsh language and promote and facilitate its use.
• The new Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) commenced 1 January 2026. Within the Universal Layer of the Scheme, there is a requirement that at least 10% of every participating farm is managed as habitat. Farmers will be paid for all semi-natural habitat on their farm. Those farmers with less than 10% existing semi-natural habitat will be able to create additional habitat, by choosing from a range of temporary habitat types. Optional and Collaborative elements of the SFS are still being developed and further detail will be available later in 2026.
•  We will create a timber-based industrial strategy that can develop and sustain the high value production and processing of Welsh wood.
• We will publish and implement a programme of fisheries management plans to contribute to the delivery of the eight fisheries objectives. 
• We will continue to co-ordinate and embed best practice for the sustainable management of our soil resources. This will be informed by monitoring trends in carbon stock, a better understanding of the soil resource, the functional importance of soil biodiversity, and trends in and management of macronutrients.

Northern Ireland

• We will continue to develop and implement a new programme of farm support—the Sustainable Agriculture Programme, which aims to deliver an industry with improved environmental sustainability in terms of its impact on, and guardianship of, air and water quality, soil health and biodiversity, while making its fair contribution to achieving net zero carbon targets.
• We will continue to develop and implement the Farming with Nature Package that aims to support Northern Ireland farmers and land managers across all land types to make substantial contributions to environmental improvements and sustainability. The Package aims to reverse the trends in nature decline through retaining, maintaining, restoring and creating habitats that are important for species diversity and improved connectivity between habitat areas.
• We will deliver more sustainable nutrient management on farms—where chemical and organic fertilisers are only applied based on soil nutrient status and crop requirements, as demonstrated through analysis undertaken in the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme.
• We will introduce Phosphorus and Nitrogen Balance targets for the Northern Ireland agricultural sector, with a phased reduction to 2033 targets.
• We will continue to deliver The Forests for Our Future programme, which was launched in 2020, and pledged to plant 18 million trees by 2030 and create 9,000 ha of new woodland to help our environment and economy. All tree planting in the programme must prove sustainability by meeting the UK Forestry Standard.

UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies

The British Virgin Islands

• We will improve the health of the nearshore demersal and reef fisheries and diversify the existing fisheries to include new or underutilised fish species. We will restructure the existing the Virgin Islands Fishing Complex business model to increase both participation of and benefits to local fishers and will reduce post-harvest losses in the fishery sector.
• We will develop fisheries management plans for key demersal/reef fish species.
• We will adopt and apply ecosystem-based principles and objectives for marine fisheries.
• We will create a management and regulation framework based on the Ecosystem Approach to Aquaculture (EAA).

The Falkland Islands

• We will implement the agreed recommendations from the Review of Falkland Islands Finfish Fisheries (ExCo 16/21).
• We will create an agricultural action plan and an agricultural advice framework, which will reflect the ecological principles in the Environment Strategy.

Guernsey

• We will support dairy farmers to adopt regenerative agricultural practices by 2030.

The Isle of Man

• By 2025, the Government will have ensured that policies are in place to promote the sustainable management of our land, freshwater and marine resources, including by means of traditional practices where these are compatible with biodiversity objectives and taking due account of the need to conserve ecosystem services.
• As outlined in the earlier Sea Fisheries Strategy, and continued in the draft Fisheries Statement, we will continue the application of spatial management strategies within the territorial sea for fisheries management purposes, adopting a holistic approach that integrates fishing, conservation and marine development components.
• We will take action to establish Long-term Management Plans for all fisheries in the Isle of Man territorial sea.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 

• We will work hard as a member of the UK delegation to the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) to support the raising of marine conservation standards whilst operating an ecosystem-based fisheries management regime for krill and fin fish.

UK

• The UK Joint Fisheries Statement sets out the policies for achieving, or contributing to the achievement of, the eight fisheries objectives in the Fisheries Act 2020: sustainability, precautionary, ecosystem, scientific evidence, bycatch, equal access, national benefit and climate change objectives. We will work together to ensure fish stocks are managed and, where necessary, recovered for the wider benefit of all.
• The UK Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund is investing £360 million over the next 12 years to support the next generation of fishers and breathe new life into our coastal communities. The investment will secure our fishing industry for decades to come and make it fit for the 21st century. We will work with the industry to target investment where it matters most.
• The UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) sets out the governments’ approach to sustainable forestry including standards and requirements, regulations and monitoring, and reporting. The UKFS is based on sustainable forest management criteria agreed internationally and implemented in a way that is appropriate to the UK. Central to sustainable forest management in the UK is the concept of achieving a balanced set of objectives.

England

• Under the Environmental Land Management schemes, farmers will be encouraged to adopt and maintain sustainable farming practices that can protect and enhance the natural environment alongside food production, and also support farm productivity (including by improving animal health and welfare, optimising the use of inputs and making better use of natural resources).
• The Path to Sustainable Farming: An Agricultural Transition Plan sets out the approach to improve the environment, improve animal health and welfare, and reduce carbon emissions (see also the Agricultural Transition Plan update January 2024).
• We will incentivise farmers and land managers through our agri-environment schemes to implement measures to support farm wildlife alongside productive farming, by providing year-round resources for farmland species.
• We will publish principles of sustainable soil management by 2026. We will encourage farmers and land managers to sustainably manage and protect their soils through agri-environment schemes.
• We will publish a methodology and guidance for consistent soil health monitoring by 2026, empowering farmers and land managers to establish baselines and implement sustainable soil management practices.
• We will publish an initial statistic of soil health for England during 2026, with the aim to establish a soil health baseline by 2029.
• We will deliver up to 300,000 ha of wildlife-rich habitat creation and restoration by 2042 through agri-environment scheme agreements running since 2023. We will deliver up to 200,000 ha of peatland restoration and woodland creation.
• We will create the farming roadmap, setting out the government’s vision for England’s farming system in 2030 and 2050 and the long-term strategy for achieving this. This will provide clarity and stability for farmers, land managers and the wider supply chain. 
• We will transform our food system through achieving the 10 priority outcomes of the food strategy. This will maintain food security by building resilience in the face of climate shocks, geopolitical changes and protect the supply chain which keeps us fed. It will support the farming roadmap to improve the impact of farming on soil, nature and biodiversity, as well as sustainable fisheries management in accordance with the Joint Fisheries Statement and Fisheries Act 2020.
• We will incentivise the planting of high-quality woodlands and trees outside of woodland with a further £816 million of funding between 2026 to 2027 and 2029 to 2030 financial years, including by continuing the England Woodland Creation Offer.
• The Manage and protect woodland wildlife guidance highlights how those managing woodland or planning forestry operations can comply with regulations to protect wildlife and habitats.
• England’s Fisheries and Seafood Scheme delivers investments to safeguard the long-term sustainability, resilience and prosperity of the seafood sector across England, including achieving Good Environmental Status through the conservation and restoration of the marine environment.
• We will deliver the Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) programme, which focuses on the sustainable management of stocks. This includes the publication of the next five plans in English waters by the end of 2025 and continuing to deliver the actions in the six existing published plans. Our delivery partners are leading on the preparation of a further four FMPs, to be published by the end of 2026.
• We will negotiate with our international fisheries partners to seek to increase the overall number of stocks fished at sustainable levels. 
• We will extend the requirements for Vessel Monitoring Systems to all English-licensed fishing vessels and non-English fishing vessels operating in English waters in 2026. This is to ensure regulators have as accurate as possible an understanding of the spatial activities of all vessels, enabling better informed management of the marine environment.

Scotland

• The National Islands Plan includes a strategic objective to improve and promote sustainable economic development. This includes an action to build on Scotland’s National Marine Plan to ensure that fishing and other economic activities stemming from the sea provide increased opportunities for island communities, but that at the same time they are pursued in a sustainable manner.
• The next step in delivering our vision for Scotland as a leader in sustainable and regenerative farming sets out a vision for all farming activity to change in the medium and longer term to become low carbon, sustainable and regenerative.
• Long Term Forest Plans are 20-year strategic management plans that bring together management objectives, environmental, economic, and social functions, and silvicultural prescriptions into a comprehensive plan to deliver long-term benefits through sustainable forest management (see Applicant’s Guidance).
• The Control of Woodland Removal Policy provides guidance and regulations regarding the removal of woodlands in Scotland with the goal of ensuring woodland removal is conducted in a sustainable manner. 
• The Scottish Soil Framework aims to promote the sustainable management and protection of soils consistent with the economic, social and environmental needs of Scotland.
• We will realise our Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture and the associated outcomes for environment and biodiversity specified within it.
• Scotland’s Forestry Strategy Implementation Plan 2022–2025 sets out how we will sustainably manage, expand and improve the condition of our forests and native woodland. 
• The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 introduced a new framework of support for farmers and crofters that empowers them to realise their essential role in biodiversity restoration and sustainable food production.
• We will continue implementing Scotland’s Fisheries Management Strategy 2020–2030 and the 12 Point Action Plan therein. 

Wales

• Biodiversity deep dive: recommendations designates a set of actions to be taken immediately to support meaningful delivery of the 30by30 target (Target 3), including reforming land and marine management and planning, and engaging with stakeholders to maximise benefits for nature when using natural resources.
• The Natural Resources Policy sets out how Wales will sustainably manage its natural resources on land, at sea and in the air. 
• The Welsh Government Programme for Government – Update sets out commitments across social, economic and environmental sectors in Wales, committing to progress towards a sustainable timber industry.
• Prosperity for All: A climate conscious Wales: A climate change adaptation plan for Wales sets out how Wales can use its natural resources to effectively adapt to climate change.
• The Environment (Wales) Act 2016 sets out an integrated approach to managing Wales’ natural resources in order to achieve long-term sustainability. This includes the provision of information in the State of Natural Resources Report, a National Natural Resources Policy and Area Statements.
• The Clean Air Plan for Wales sets out Wales’ commitment to improve air quality. Steps taken to achieve this include, for example, consultation with farmers about the implementation of a sustainable farming scheme to manage farmland more effectively for biodiversity. 
• The Woodlands for Wales Strategy is our 50-year strategy for preserving and developing woodlands and trees in Wales.
• Sector Locational Guidance: Enabling Evidence for Sustainable Development provides guidance for producing a collaborative approach to understanding opportunities for sustainable development of the aquaculture sector.

Northern Ireland

• DAERA’s Forests for Our Future programme has pledged to plant 18 million trees by 2030 and create 9,000 ha of new woodland to help our environment and economy.
• The Environmental Improvement Plan for Northern Ireland sets out the basis for a coherent and effective set of interventions that can collectively deliver real improvements in the quality of the environment. This details commitments for sustainability of industry that relies on natural resources. 

UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies

The British Virgin Islands

• The Virgin Islands Strategic Blue Economy Roadmap 2020–2025 was developed with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It sets out an integrated approach to ocean-based sustainable development which brings together economy, environment and society, consistent with the Sustainable Development Agenda (2030), Aichi Target 11 and the Paris Agreement (the Roadmap was developed before the GBF was agreed and is therefore consistent with the Aichi Targets agreed under the CBD for 2011–2020). 
• Vision 2036: Building a Sustainable Virgin Islands sets out an overall vision to have a well-balanced, people-centred Virgin Islands built on spirituality, social justice and equality; nurtured by trust, cultural knowledge and participatory governance; and strengthened by economic, environmental and social sustainability. One of the national outcomes of this policy is environmental sustainability.

The Falkland Islands

• The Falkland Islands Environment Strategy 2021–2040 sets out the Falkland Islands’ objectives for the next 20 years, so that we can work towards a shared vision for the future of our environment.

Guernsey

• A new agricultural policy agreed in 2025 aims for regenerative practices to be the norm by 2030. 

The Isle of Man 

• The Isle of Man Agricultural Strategy 2024 builds on current food security, food business, landscape and natural wealth strategies. The principles laid out in this document represent the agreed objectives for agriculture, farmers and the environment. 
• Managing our Natural Wealth, The Isle of Man's First Biodiversity Strategy 2015–2025 sets out a vision for the future health of our biodiversity, and maps out the framework for action to conserve and enhance our natural richness for the health, enjoyment and economic well-being of all the people of Isle of Man.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 

• Protect Sustain Inspire (PSI) – A values-driven approach to the stewardship of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands 2021–2025 sets out the Islands’ seven priority areas for the period 2021 to 2025 and includes an overview of the range of activities and delivery commitments that will take priority. Delivering PSI – The Government’s Implementation Programme provides detail on the implementation programme for the PSI commitments beyond 2025.