Climate change brings new options for UK energy farming
Under several scenario's, the UK is going to become warmer and wetter because of climate change. This provides many new opportunities for British farmers, especially for the cultivation of energy crops, but it also poses challenges including the threat of new insects and diseases, a British government minister said.
"We want to see farmers seize opportunities for new crops that a changing climate is going to bring," junior environment minister Ian Pearson said on Sunday.
Pearson, who was attending one of Britain's largest agricultural events, the Royal Show, said he saw a "really significant opportunity" for farmers in energy crops.
Crops such as grains and oilseeds can be grown to produce motor fuels bio-ethanol and bio-diesel which are substitutes for fossil fuels. Biofuels are expected to help reduce the greenhouse gases which have been linked to climate change.
Other crops such as large grasses and coppice willow can be grown to produce electricity and heat.
Pearson, however, said climate change also posed major challenges.
"The significant decrease in cold snaps in Britain, together with an overall warmer climate and wetter winters, increase risks of new pests and diseases," he noted.
Pearson described climate change as the biggest long-term challenge to the human race and said Britain must do more to help tackle it.
"We need to do more as a government domestically. I don't think frankly that we have credibility internationally in arguing that we need to tackle climate change if we can't credibly show we are leading the way domestically, he said.
Pearson noted that Britain was not on course to meet its own target of a 20 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010, noting latest figures indicated a 16.2 percent cut would be achieved.
He said there was a need to reach an international agreement on climate change with key countries such as the United States, China and India.
"Let no one be under any illusion this is a huge task and trying to get international agreement with some of these countries is going to be enormously difficult," Pearson said.
Reuters, via Yahoo.
"We want to see farmers seize opportunities for new crops that a changing climate is going to bring," junior environment minister Ian Pearson said on Sunday.
Pearson, who was attending one of Britain's largest agricultural events, the Royal Show, said he saw a "really significant opportunity" for farmers in energy crops.
Crops such as grains and oilseeds can be grown to produce motor fuels bio-ethanol and bio-diesel which are substitutes for fossil fuels. Biofuels are expected to help reduce the greenhouse gases which have been linked to climate change.
Other crops such as large grasses and coppice willow can be grown to produce electricity and heat.
Pearson, however, said climate change also posed major challenges.
"The significant decrease in cold snaps in Britain, together with an overall warmer climate and wetter winters, increase risks of new pests and diseases," he noted.
Pearson described climate change as the biggest long-term challenge to the human race and said Britain must do more to help tackle it.
"We need to do more as a government domestically. I don't think frankly that we have credibility internationally in arguing that we need to tackle climate change if we can't credibly show we are leading the way domestically, he said.
Pearson noted that Britain was not on course to meet its own target of a 20 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010, noting latest figures indicated a 16.2 percent cut would be achieved.
He said there was a need to reach an international agreement on climate change with key countries such as the United States, China and India.
"Let no one be under any illusion this is a huge task and trying to get international agreement with some of these countries is going to be enormously difficult," Pearson said.
Reuters, via Yahoo.
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