Our planet’s land is under growing pressure from competing demands — fields for food, sanctuary for wildlife, forests to absorb carbon, and expanding cities. In this film produced for The Royal Society, we examine how governments, scientists and communities must collaborate and harness rigorous evidence when making land-use decisions that will shape our future. With the Academy warning that the UK’s own land-use targets risk being unachievable without a new framework, we showcase the scale of the challenge and the urgent need for inclusive, science-led strategies to allocate land wisely.