photo by SaffyH (source: Flickr Creative Commons)
A British government adviser has warned that major changes in land management are necessary to deal with the effects of climate change and a growing population over the next 50 years.
Professor John Beddington, who is chief scientific adviser to the UK government, warned of ‘competing issues’ that without proper management – including an integration of policies – could cause problems such as water shortages and a decrease in biodiversity. Principal issues named in terms of quality of life for Britons were the preservation of urban green spaces and the availability of affordable housing.
Other pressures on land use include commitments to use renewable energy, food production and a wealthier population.
Pressure on land is expected to be particularly acute in the south-east, where population is expected to grow most but where water is scarcest and most of the best farmland is found.
–Guardian
Read the full article, entitled ‘Britain’s green spaces under threat from water shortages and house prices’ in the Guardian. The official British government reports ‘Land Use Futures’ can be downloaded here.
The London Times‘ take on the report is a bit on the sensational side, citing scenarios of mass migration, carbon rationing and Heathrow being ‘converted into a giant reservoir by 2035′.
Now that’s what I call journalism!
by Graham Land