A surge in global temperatures caused by greenhouse gas emissions could create a boost for parts of the British economy, a government report will suggest this week. The National Adaptation programme, to be published tomorrow by Defra, the environment ministry, will suggest that farming, forestry and tourism will all benefit from warmer summers, while shipping will profit from the shorter sea routes caused by the melting of the ice caps. It will even say that rising warmth might boost Britons’ health, encouraging them to spend more time outdoors, where exposure to sunshine would boost vitamin D levels. --Jonathan Leake,
The Sunday Times, 30 June 2013
Climate change is a big business opportunity for the UK as it and countries around the world are increasingly hit by extreme weather, according to a government report published on Monday. The UK's first national adaptation plan sets out the risks to the UK, from floods to water shortages to higher food prices, as well as the economic opportunities. The adaptation sector is currently valued at about £66bn a year, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). --Damian Carrington,
The Guardian, 1 July 2013
Britain has a long history of overcoming the challenges that our famously changeable weather poses and harnessing our natural resources to support growth. The UK is already one of the global leaders in this industry of the future and this market [for climate adaptation] is expected to grow by 5% or more year on year. As the world's climate changes, Britain's expertise in areas such as weather forecasting, flood modelling, infrastructure and insurance are already coming to the fore to prepare us for the kinds of events we might see more often. Looking ahead, Genetic Modification has the potential to make further crop improvements. Managing our natural resources in innovative ways, is backed by the kind of world class science, and engineering skills that we can be proud equip the UK to succeed in the global race. --
The Rt Hon Owen Paterson, MP, Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, 1 July 2013
Climate change will be good for British farming, according to Caroline Spelman, the [former] Environment Secretary, with exotic crops such as melons already thriving. In a speech at the Oxford Farming Conference, she said that, although problems such as droughts would become more frequent, warmer weather would also mean a longer growing season and less frost damage, allowing the introduction of crops such as peaches, maize and sunflowers. Already 10,000 melons are expected to be harvested in Kent this year. A study commissioned by the conference from the Scottish Agricultural College even suggested that the boost from a warmer climate could help Britain compete in the global market as production was reduced elsewhere. --
The Daily Telegraph, 6 January 2013
