Climate change and the European Countryside, a joint report by the University of East Anglia Climate Research Unit and the Country Landowners and Business Association indicates that climate change impacts on agriculture and forestry are already widespread across northern and southern Europe, causing farms and estates to adjust their farming and forestry practices.
Climate change and the European Countryside, a joint report by the University of East Anglia Climate Research Unit and the Country Landowners and Business Association indicates that climate change impacts on agriculture and forestry are already widespread across northern and southern Europe, causing farms and estates to adjust their farming and forestry practices.
The research looked at 21 estates and farms from Finland to Spain. Records showed an average temperature increase of one degree centigrade per decade, higher than previously believed. Stretched water resources in southern Europe are already affecting fisheries and reducing forest cover for gamebirds. Increased numbers and ferocity of storms are also making forestry economically vulnerable.
As well as looking at impacts of climate change upon farm businesses, the CLBA has drawn up a methodology for farmers and landowners to assess the foot print of their contribution to carbon emissions.
Chief Economist Professor Alan Buckwell said, "We're discussing a whole new range of policy measures. Renewable energy, moving away from fossil fuels, helping farmers to cut down on their emissions. A key part of the project was to develop CALM, a methodology for meeting a balance of emissions and carbon storage on a typical estate or farm.
Until you know what you're doing, you don't know what you can do. Land managers need to look at the emissions from a farm or estate and relate them to their fertilisation regime, cultivations, and livestock manure outputs."
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