We have all heard about the potentially catastrophic impacts of climate change around the world, particularly in the Global South. Increased flooding, famine, extreme weather, disease and pestilence will become the norm unless we act now to halt out of control climate chaos.

But what about Scotland?

Surely just a little global warming would do wonders for our cold and damp country?

Well no, actually.

It’s true that average temperatures in Scotland are likely to increase and we may experience warmer summers and milder winters, however, they won’t be of the clear-sky, bright sunshine variety.

Instead, we’ll probably see increased cloud cover and drizzle during the summer in some areas and there will potentially be an increase in rainfall all over Scotland during winter. We’ll get less snow, more flooding and more extreme weather, including heat waves.

These changes will have wide reaching and possibly seriously damaging consequences for the economy, biodiversity, health and infrastructure of Scotland. Some of the possible impacts are outlined below.

Economy

The Met Office has warned that the Scottish skiing industry could disappear within decades as winters become too mild for regular snowfall. Also, summer water shortages will threaten our whisky and fish farming industries.

Climate change could see an increase in pests and diseases, which would  mean:

• additional pain and suffering for livestock
• economic difficulties for farmers
• pressure on the farming industry.

Even Haggis, Scotland’s national dish, is under threat! In recent years there has been an increase in Lungworm, a disease which affects sheep, making their lungs - a key ingredient in haggis - unusable, and the problem is likely to get worse in the  warmer, wetter conditions that will come about due to climate change.

Biodiversity 

Even a small increase in temperature would threaten the Scottish Crossbill, our only indigenous species, with extinction. Milder temperatures could see the Crossbill leave Scotland and attempt to settle in Iceland instead. However, scientists have warned it is unlikely to survive such a move.

The survival of iconic species such as the Black Grouse and the Capercaillie is already under threat and they face increased problems from climate change which will put additional pressure on their habitats, food supply and breeding seasons.

Health

A recent report by King’s College and the Met Office warned that the number of deaths resulting from heat waves could quadruple by the 2080s. Heat waves affect cities particularly badly and Scottish cities could suffer more than more southerly UK cities because our cooler climate makes us more sensitive to these kind of changes.

Climate change could also have an impact on asthma and other respiratory illnesses, as there are implications for air quality. Also, longer growing seasons may cause additional problems for people who suffer from hay-fever and related allergies.

Infrastructure

We have recently witnessed the chaos that extreme flooding can cause. Our existing sewerage and drainage systems won’t be able to handle the increased flooding that climate change is likely to bring. Upgrading our infrastructure so that it can cope will be extremely costly and disruptive.

Sea levels are likely to rise by 600mm by 2080, threatening coastal areas and forcing us to re-route vulnerable coastal roads, railways and adapt other vital infrastructure, not to mention the potential loss of coastal homes.

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