Author: Dr Paul Lunt (Director of the Low Carbon Devon Project) Remnant fragments of Atlantic or Temperate Rainforest occur on the cliffs and steep sided valleys of England’s southwest and northwest coast. In these oceanic and upland areas high rainfall and humidity combine with low annual temperature fluctuations. Here the twisted hulks of age weathered oaks cling to the slopes and hollows in England’s most dramatic protected landscapes. Their remains hark back to ancient times when these forests would haveRead more
Resilience in food production: is UK agriculture prepared for climate change?
Author Dr Paul Lunt (Director of the Low Carbon Devon Project) At Christmas time, our attention is drawn towards food. My last harvest of the summer, pictured, consisted of brightly coloured peppers, chillies, tomatoes, onions, butternut squash and garlic. Like all growers, I spend the summers working with whatever nature throws my way in weather, pests and crop disease. This year in between the planting and replanting of lost crops, I also wrote an updated chapter on weather and climateRead more
Lost Words Poetry Reading, Green Minds Festival of Nature
Post by Dr Eva McGrath, Research Fellow Greenminds Project Otter, acorn, dandelion, willow. Heron, conker, magpie, kingfisher. Bramble, fern, heather, newt. These words are the names of plants, trees, birds and animals that live, move and breathe alongside us. They can be found in the streams, in the sky, falling from a tree, growing from the ground. These words are threads towards our connection with the natural world around us. Language is a fluid entity that can often be a litmusRead more
How human caused climate change is affecting UK weather
Author Dr Paul Lunt, Director of the Low Carbon Devon Project As we approach the winter solstice, it is a good time to review our winter weather. It is so far so good for my favourite garden plant, the giant viper’s bugloss (Echium pininana). This plant, photography at my south Devon garden at 100 m above sea level, is endemic to the Canary Islands with limited tolerance to UK winter frost. Whether it survives through to the spring, as itRead more
What does the COP26 agreement mean for future climate change projections?
Author Dr. Paul Lunt (Director of the Low Carbon Devon Project) More than 120 countries have announced new targets to reduce emissions by 2030, and governments representing 70% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have pledged to bring their emissions to Net Zero by 2050 or shortly afterward. Scientists welcome pledges to end deforestation, reduce methane emissions and commitments from the financial sector of over $130 trillion of private investments into green infrastructure. However, many campaigners have expressed concerns overRead more