기본 콘텐츠로 건너뛰기

Climate Change Intensifies the UK’s Wet Winter: A Call for Urgent Adaptation

 Climate Change Intensifies the UK’s Wet Winter: A Call for Urgent Adaptation




The recent winter in the UK, marked as the second wettest October to March period on record, has starkly demonstrated the impacts of climate change. Scientists from the World Weather Attribution group have confirmed that global warming, driven by human activities such as burning fossil fuels, has made this level of rainfall at least four times more likely.

Farmers across the UK have faced devastating consequences. Colin Chappell, a fourth-generation farmer in Lincolnshire, experienced significant setbacks, with a third of his farm left unplanted due to flooded fields. Chappell anticipates producing only half of his usual crop yield, raising concerns about the future sustainability of farming in the region.

“Some farms in the valley will not see a harvest at all this year. That hasn’t happened here since 1948,” Chappell lamented. He fears that without crops to sell, the viability of many farms is in jeopardy, as supermarkets might turn to imports, delaying the visible impact on consumers until it's too late.

The UK’s wet winter is part of a growing trend of extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change. Storms, driven by the polar jet stream, have become more intense due to a warmer atmosphere capable of holding more moisture. The last decade has been approximately 1.2°C warmer than pre-industrial times, increasing the potential for heavy rainfall.

The scientists' models show that without climate change, the rainfall seen between October 2023 and March 2024 would have been a rare one-in-80-year event. Now, it is expected once every 20 years, with stormiest days seeing about 20% more rainfall on average due to climate change.

Sarah Kew, the lead author of the study and a researcher at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, warns, “Until the world reduces emissions to net zero, the climate will continue to warm, and rainfall in the UK and Ireland will continue to get heavier.”

The severe conditions have highlighted the urgent need for the UK to improve its adaptation strategies. Despite warnings from the government’s independent climate change advisers, the UK remains strikingly unprepared for such impacts. Adaptation measures like enhanced flood defenses and sustainable farming incentives are critical for resilience against future extreme weather.

Tom Lancaster, head of land, food, and farming at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), emphasizes the challenge, noting that the best farmland is often low-lying and cannot be relocated. Farmers are also affected by soil types that become waterlogged, preventing the use of machinery and planting.

The government's sustainable farming incentives offer some hope, providing payments for adopting sustainable practices. Colin Chappell acknowledges that these schemes and a small financial buffer are what will help his farm survive this year. However, he expresses concern for others, asking, “How can anyone halve their production and still expect to be around next year?”

As the impacts of climate change become increasingly evident, the need for urgent action is clear. To truly address these challenges, it is crucial for policymakers, farmers, and citizens to work together in reducing emissions and enhancing climate resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How did climate change contribute to the UK's wet winter? A: Climate change, driven by human activities such as burning fossil fuels, has increased the likelihood of heavy rainfall events. Warmer air holds more moisture, leading to more intense rainfall.

Q: What impacts did the wet winter have on UK farmers? A: The extreme weather caused flooded fields, preventing planting and reducing crop yields. Some farmers, like Colin Chappell, expect to produce only half of their usual output.

Q: How often can we expect such wet winters in the future? A: Without climate change, such an event would be a one-in-80-year occurrence. Now, it is expected once every 20 years due to the warming climate.

Q: What measures are needed to adapt to extreme weather? A: Improved flood defenses, sustainable farming practices, and comprehensive climate adaptation strategies are essential to build resilience against future extreme weather events.

Q: What can individuals do to help address climate change? A: Reducing personal carbon footprints, supporting policies that reduce emissions, and advocating for sustainable practices can contribute to mitigating climate change and its impacts.


#ClimateChange #ExtremeWeather #SustainableFarming #ClimateAdaptation #EnvironmentalResilience

댓글

이 블로그의 인기 게시물

Non-contact exposure to dinotefuran disrupts honey bee homing by altering MagR and Cry2 gene expression

  Non-contact exposure to dinotefuran disrupts honey bee homing by altering  MagR  and  Cry2  gene expression Dinotefuran is known to negatively affect honeybee ( Apis mellifera ) behavior, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The magnetoreceptor ( MagR , which responds to magnetic fields) and cryptochrome ( Cry2 , which is sensitive to light) genes are considered to play important roles in honey bees’ homing and localization behaviors. Our study found that dinotefuran, even without direct contact, can act like a magnet, significantly altering  MagR  expression in honeybees. This non-contact exposure reduced the bees’ homing rate. In further experiments, we exposed foragers to light and magnetic fields, the  MagR  gene responded to magnetic fields only in the presence of light, with  Cry 2 playing a key switching role in the magnetic field receptor mechanism ( MagR–Cry2 ). Yeast two-hybrid and BiFc assays confirmed an interactio...

New Report – Interlocked: Midwives and the Climate Crisis

New Report – Interlocked: Midwives and the Climate Crisis Earlier this year, midwives from 41 countries shared their experiences of working in communities affected by climate change through our survey, Midwives’ Experiences and Perspectives on Climate Change. Their voices shaped our new report, Interlocked: Midwives and the Climate Crisis , which highlights how midwives are already responding to the health impacts of climate disasters like floods, wildfires, and extreme heat—and why they must be included in climate action plans. What did we learn?Climate change is damaging community health: 75% of midwives reported that climate change is harming the communities they serve, with rising rates of preterm births, food insecurity, and restricted access to care during disasters like floods. Midwives are critical first responders: Midwives are often the first and only healthcare providers on the ground in crises, delivering care during wildfires, floods, and extreme heat. Midwives face signi...

Bee attack claims life of newspaper distributor

  Bee attack claims life of newspaper distributor Newspaper distributor Pushparaja Shetty (45), who sustained severe injuries in a bee attack, succumbed to his injuries on Thursday at a hospital in Mangaluru. Pushparaja was attacked by a swarm of bees on Wednesday morning while walking at Kenjaru Taangadi under Bajpe town panchayat limits. He was immediately admitted to a hospital for treatment but could not survive the ordeal. Fondly known as ‘Boggu’ in the Porkodi area, Pushparaja was well-known for his dedication to delivering newspapers on foot to every household. He was admired for his generosity, as he often distributed sweets to schoolchildren on Independence Day using his own earnings and contributed part of his income to the betterment of society. Pushparaja was unmarried and is survived by three brothers and one sister.

“Global honey crisis”: Testing technology and local sourcing soars amid fraud and tampering concerns

  “Global honey crisis”: Testing technology and local sourcing soars amid fraud and tampering concerns The World Beekeeping Awards will not grant a prize for honey next year due to the “inability” to thoroughly test honey for adulteration. The announcement comes amid the rise of honey fraud in the EU, where a 2023 investigation found that 46% of 147 honey samples tested were likely contaminated with low-cost plant syrups.  Apimondia, the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations, organizes the event at its Congress, whose 49th edition will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in September 2025. The conference brings together beekeepers, scientists and other stakeholders. “We will celebrate honey in many ways at the Congress, but honey will no longer be a category, and thus, there will be no honey judging in the World Beekeeping Awards. The lessons learned from Canada 2019 and Chile 2023 were that adequate testing was impossible if we are to award winning honey at the Con...

Unveiling the Canopy's Secrets: New Bee Species Discovered in the Pacific

  Unveiling the Canopy's Secrets: New Bee Species Discovered in the Pacific In an exciting development for environmentalists and beekeeping experts, researchers have discovered eight new species of masked bees in the Pacific Islands, shining a light on the rich biodiversity hidden within the forest canopy. This discovery underscores the critical role bees play in our ecosystems and the pressing need for conservation efforts to protect these vital pollinators. A New Frontier in Bee Research By exploring the forest canopy, scientists have opened a new frontier in bee research, revealing species that have adapted to life high above the ground. These discoveries are crucial for understanding the complex relationships between bees, flora, and the broader ecosystem. The new species of masked bees, characterized by their striking black bodies with yellow or white highlights, particularly on their faces, rely exclusively on the forest canopy for survival. The Importance of Bee Conservation...

Start the New Year Humming Like a Bee

  Start the New Year Humming Like a Bee There are lots of opportunities to be as busy as a bee during these winter holidays. As we hustle toward the dawn of the New Year, it can be hard to notice that the natural world is actually suggesting something different for us right now. We’re past the solstice, but the winter still stretches ahead, the days are still short and the nights long. We’re being invited into a quieter, more inner-focused time. The ancient yogis were all about this inner focus. In India, for example, the Upanishads, the Sanskrit writings that accompanied the development of Hinduism — and alongside it, yoga — beginning around 800 B.C.E., went deeper than earlier texts had into philosophy and questions of being. With the goals of increased inner awareness and higher consciousness, yoga was at that time not yet as focused on the body or on asanas, as it now can tend to be. But the yogis did develop many practices to try to open the way to those goals. They discovered...

The Essential Role of Bees in Our Ecosystem and the Challenges They Face

The Essential Role of Bees in Our Ecosystem and the Challenges They Face Bees have been an integral part of our ecosystem and human agriculture for over four centuries, primarily utilized for their honey in the early days. Now, they are recognized more for their critical role in pollination, which directly impacts a vast majority of the food we consume. Mark Lilly, a prominent beekeeper, emphasizes that without bees' pollination efforts, a significant portion of our diet would be at risk. However, bees face numerous threats, including varroa mites and, in specific regions like West Virginia, black bears. These challenges necessitate concerted efforts for preservation and protection. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Q1: Why are bees so important to the ecosystem? A1: Bees are crucial for pollinating plants, which is necessary for the production of fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Without bees, a large portion of the food we eat would not be available. Q2: What are the main threats to...

The Growing Dilemma of Pet Burials in South Korea: Environmental and Legal Hurdles

The Growing Dilemma of Pet Burials in South Korea: Environmental and Legal Hurdles As the number of pets in South Korea steadily increases, pet owners face a growing dilemma due to the limited number of pet cemeteries across the country. Under the current legal framework, pet remains are classified as household waste, requiring specific disposal methods that are neither convenient nor easily accessible for all citizens. The imbalance between the rising pet population—over 5.52 million households with pets by the end of 2022—and the mere 70 registered pet cemeteries has led to significant challenges. This shortage is particularly evident in regions like Jeju Island, where pet owners must undergo arduous journeys to the mainland to ensure their pets receive proper burials. The root cause of this shortage lies in the strict regulations governing the establishment of pet cemeteries. These facilities, which must include crematoriums, face numerous restrictions, such as proximity to resident...

Climate Crisis Claims Glacier's Vital Climate Data Archive

  Climate Crisis Claims Glacier's Vital Climate Data Archive A recent study published in Nature Geoscience reveals a distressing consequence of global warming: the irreversible loss of valuable climate data stored in alpine glaciers. The research, conducted by a team led by Margit Schwikowski from the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), underscores the alarming rate at which glaciers are melting and highlights the implications for climate research. The study focuses on the Corbassière glacier at Grand Combin in Switzerland, where ice cores drilled in 2018 and 2020 were intended to serve as vital climate archives. However, comparing the two sets of ice cores reveals a grim reality—global warming has rendered the glacier unsuitable as a reliable climate archive. Glaciers, renowned as climate archives, encapsulate valuable information about past climatic conditions and atmospheric compositions. The fluctuating concentrations of trace substances in ice layers provide insights into historica...

German election: Climate and environment take a back seat

  German election: Climate and environment take a back seat When the coalition government comprising the center-left  Social Democratic Party (SPD) ,  Greens  and neoliberal  Free Democratic Party (FDP)  emerged after the last German federal election in the fall of 2021, then-incoming Chancellor  Olaf Scholz  (SPD) did not object to being called the "climate chancellor." That was no surprise: the climate crisis had been a top issue during the election campaign. The new government made the fight against climate change a task for the Economy Ministry and appointed Vice Chancellor  Robert Habeck  from the Greens as its head. Three and a half years later, campaign speeches barely mention climate protection. The dominant issues are how to curb irregular immigration and how to boost Germany's sluggish economy. Skeptical view of renewable energy The head of the center-right  Christian Democratic Union (CDU) ,  Friedrich Merz ...