Climate change in Scotland
Encyclopedia
The mitigation
of anthropogenic climate change
in the nation of Scotland
is a matter for the devolved Scottish Parliament
.
emissions only account for 10% of the UK's emissions, in 2003 when figures were published. 37% of Scottish emissions are in energy supply and 17% in transport. Between 1990 and 2007, Scottish net emissions have reduced by 18.7%. The industrial processes sector had the largest decrease, of 72% with a reduction of 48% in the public sector trailing closely behind.
s or floods. Warmer temperatures would increase the rate of growth for grasses and arable crops, leading to higher yields and the possibility of new crops being able to grow in Scotland. However, soil quality would lower with heat and soil moisture stress.
The availability of fresh water could cause problems for livestock. Heat stress With warmer and wetter conditions, livestock could face new diseases such as West Nile virus
and outbreaks of bluetongue or parasites
could increase.
has already changed timings of spring events such as leaf unfolding, bird migration and egg-laying. The population of species could change due to the speed at which they adapt.
Changes in the ranges of plant and animal species have been observed. New species may move to Scotland with the changing climate. Shifts may occur on hillsides and species that are already confined to high mountains may become extinct in Scotland.
Severe effects are likely to occur on biodiversity. Species of plants and animals that can't adapt quickly enough may become extinct or be replaced by other creatures. Coastal habitats, including machairs, may disappear due to high sea levels eroding the land. Salmon spawning bed
s may be wiped out by flash floods causing population problems for the species. There will be new risks to animals, plants and their habitats, including non-native pests and diseases.
When all these effects are combined with human response, such as land use change and the growth of new forests, Scotland's ecosystems could change drastically.
(SEPA) is Scotland’s environmental regulator. SEPA's main role is in protecting and improving Scotland's natural environment. SEPA does this by helping communities, businesses and industries understand their legal and moral responsibilities they have relating to the environment.
SEPA ensures customer compliance by applying environmental legislation, encouraging good practice and realising the many economic benefits for organisations when they employ good environmental practice. SEPA also protects communities by regulating activities that can cause harmful pollution and monitoring the quality of Scotland's air, land and water.
SEPA recognises that climate change is the single greatest threat to our future. The organisation has produced their own climate change plan which contains details about how it will reduce its carbon emissions. This five year climate change plan introduces SEPA's specific role in climate change mitigation.
SEPA, Scottish Natural Heritage
(SNH), Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) and Historic Scotland
are all government funded organisations with responsibilities for different aspects of Scotland’s environment and heritage. A joint statement on climate change has been created by all partners.
In Scotland, the effects of climate change can be seen in raised temperature
changes, increased rainfall and less snow cover. These changes have a significant impact on the growing, breeding and migration seasons, as well as species abundance and diversity.
Mitigation of global warming
Climate change mitigation is action to decrease the intensity of radiative forcing in order to reduce the potential effects of global warming. Mitigation is distinguished from adaptation to global warming, which involves acting to tolerate the effects of global warming...
of anthropogenic climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
in the nation of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
is a matter for the devolved Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
.
Greenhouse gas emissions
Scotland's greenhouse gasGreenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
emissions only account for 10% of the UK's emissions, in 2003 when figures were published. 37% of Scottish emissions are in energy supply and 17% in transport. Between 1990 and 2007, Scottish net emissions have reduced by 18.7%. The industrial processes sector had the largest decrease, of 72% with a reduction of 48% in the public sector trailing closely behind.
Agriculture
In some cases, Scottish agriculture may experience a positive change as summers will be warmer and drier. A longer growing season would benefit farmers but lower quality crops will be produced and there is a likelihood of droughtDrought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
s or floods. Warmer temperatures would increase the rate of growth for grasses and arable crops, leading to higher yields and the possibility of new crops being able to grow in Scotland. However, soil quality would lower with heat and soil moisture stress.
The availability of fresh water could cause problems for livestock. Heat stress With warmer and wetter conditions, livestock could face new diseases such as West Nile virus
West Nile virus
West Nile virus is a virus of the family Flaviviridae. Part of the Japanese encephalitis antigenic complex of viruses, it is found in both tropical and temperate regions. It mainly infects birds, but is known to infect humans, horses, dogs, cats, bats, chipmunks, skunks, squirrels, domestic...
and outbreaks of bluetongue or parasites
Parasitism
Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between organisms of different species where one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host. Traditionally parasite referred to organisms with lifestages that needed more than one host . These are now called macroparasites...
could increase.
Biodiversity and Ecosystems
Past observations have indicated some of the likely effects of climate change on biodiversity. Global warmingGlobal warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
has already changed timings of spring events such as leaf unfolding, bird migration and egg-laying. The population of species could change due to the speed at which they adapt.
Changes in the ranges of plant and animal species have been observed. New species may move to Scotland with the changing climate. Shifts may occur on hillsides and species that are already confined to high mountains may become extinct in Scotland.
Severe effects are likely to occur on biodiversity. Species of plants and animals that can't adapt quickly enough may become extinct or be replaced by other creatures. Coastal habitats, including machairs, may disappear due to high sea levels eroding the land. Salmon spawning bed
Spawning bed
A spawning bed is an underwater solid surface on which fish spawn to reproduce themselves.In fishery management, a spawning bed is an artificial bed constructed by wildlife professionals in order to improve the ability of desired game fish to reproduce...
s may be wiped out by flash floods causing population problems for the species. There will be new risks to animals, plants and their habitats, including non-native pests and diseases.
When all these effects are combined with human response, such as land use change and the growth of new forests, Scotland's ecosystems could change drastically.
Climate Change Act
The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 was a bill that was passed by the Scottish Government. The bill includes an emissions target, set for the year 2050, for a reduction of at least 80% from the baseline year, 1990. Annual targets for greenhouse gas emissions must also be set, after consultation the relevant advisory bodies. Provisions are included in the act for the creation of the Scottish Committee on Climate Change, as at present the only advisory body is the UK Committee on Climate Change. Ministers in parliament must now report on the progress of these targets. As of January 2011, public sector bodies in Scotland must comply with new guidelines set out by the Scottish Government.Protection and Enforcement
The Scottish Environment Protection AgencyScottish Environment Protection Agency
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is Scotland’s environmental regulator. Its main role is to protect and improve Scotland's environment...
(SEPA) is Scotland’s environmental regulator. SEPA's main role is in protecting and improving Scotland's natural environment. SEPA does this by helping communities, businesses and industries understand their legal and moral responsibilities they have relating to the environment.
SEPA ensures customer compliance by applying environmental legislation, encouraging good practice and realising the many economic benefits for organisations when they employ good environmental practice. SEPA also protects communities by regulating activities that can cause harmful pollution and monitoring the quality of Scotland's air, land and water.
SEPA recognises that climate change is the single greatest threat to our future. The organisation has produced their own climate change plan which contains details about how it will reduce its carbon emissions. This five year climate change plan introduces SEPA's specific role in climate change mitigation.
SEPA, Scottish Natural Heritage
Scottish Natural Heritage
Scottish Natural Heritage is a Scottish public body. It is responsible for Scotland's natural heritage, especially its natural, genetic and scenic diversity. It advises the Scottish Government and acts as a government agent in the delivery of conservation designations, i.e...
(SNH), Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) and Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
are all government funded organisations with responsibilities for different aspects of Scotland’s environment and heritage. A joint statement on climate change has been created by all partners.
"The Scientific evidence is now overwhelming: climate change presents very serious global risks and it demands an urgent global response".
In Scotland, the effects of climate change can be seen in raised temperature
Temperature
Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
changes, increased rainfall and less snow cover. These changes have a significant impact on the growing, breeding and migration seasons, as well as species abundance and diversity.
See also
- Renewable energy in ScotlandRenewable energy in ScotlandThe production of renewable energy in Scotland is an issue that has come to the fore in technical, economic, and political terms during the opening years of the 21st century. The natural resource base for renewables is extraordinary by European, and even global standards...
- Energy policy of ScotlandEnergy policy of ScotlandEnergy policy in Scotland is a matter that has been specifically reserved to the UK parliament under the terms of the Scotland Act 1998 that created the devolved Scottish Parliament...
- Sustainable development in ScotlandSustainable development in ScotlandScotland development in Scotland has a number of distinct strands. The idea of sustainable development was used by the Brundtland Commission which defined it as development that "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." At...
External links
- Cairngorms Climate An investigation of climate change in the scottish highlands.
- Scottish Environment Protection Agency
- Climate Change from the UCB Libraries GovPubs
- Climate Change from the Met OfficeMet OfficeThe Met Office , is the United Kingdom's national weather service, and a trading fund of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
(UK) - Global Climate Change from NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
(US) - SNIFFER: A handbook of climate trends across Scotland