The independent James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen says climate changes that were expected to be seen over the next three decades in Scotland are already happening. The changes could affect crop productivity, change ecosystem functions and undermine efforts to restore greenhouse gas-emitting peatlands in some areas. The trends of increased warming and reduced rainfall in the spring and summer will also increase wildfire risk.
The report’s author said that, despite the daunting scale of the threats, “the opportunities and many benefits of moving to a green economy as a solution are compelling and positive reasons to be optimistic about the future. Drastically reducing fossil fuel use, changing the food system to be better for our health and the environment, conserving and enhancing what biodiversity we have, restoring degraded ecosystems and reducing resource consumption to a sustainable level will give society a fighting chance and help us realise a better way of living.”