Wind speeds play an important role in the spread of crop-threatening plant diseases. However, climate predictions indicate that the spread of such diseases in Scotland may be hindered in the future by reductions in spring and summer wind speeds.

Understanding how reductions in wind speed may affect the dispersal of plant diseases provides an opportunity to reduce the amount of chemicals used to protect crops from disease. This would reduce the environmental impact of crop production and improve resource efficiency.

This paper reports on the initial findings of research carried out by the James Hutton Institute, which modelled the impact of changes in wind speed on the spread of potato late blight.

Based on this research, the report highlights potential opportunities to reduce the use of chemicals through:

•  a transition from fixed, calendar spray regimes towards accurate disease forecasting, allowing the correct agro-chemical products to be applied during critical periods of inoculum pressure;

• the establishment of disease-suppressive agricultural landscapes to capitalise on expected reductions in inoculum pressure.

This ongoing research project will deliver novel agricultural management strategies and inform the Scottish Government’s climate change adaptation, food security and water policies.

Land drainage is essential to maintaining the productivity of Scottish agriculture. It also has significant potential to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

Wet soils can produce large quantities of Nitrous Oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas. Much of these emissions may be avoided through adequate agricultural drainage.

The Scottish Government has historically provided funding for the drainage of wet agricultural land. However, there is evidence that the condition of Scotland’s drainage infrastructure has deteriorated in the past 50 years, with little investment currently taking place.

As such, improving agricultural drainage infrastructure could represent a cost effective greenhouse gas mitigation measure.

Through a review of existing data, this report identifies:

• the current state of Scotland’s agricultural drainage infrastructure;
• the potential magnitude of greenhouse gas abatement from installing or improving drainage; and
• the impacts that such activity may have on other climate change mitigation policies.

ClimateXChange has been involved in peatland research from the outset, particularly focused on the carbon benefits from peatland restoration and how it might contribute to greenhouse gas emissions reduction in Scotland.

The Durban Summit in December 2011 paved the way for wetland management, including peatland, to be included in national greenhouse gas emissions accounting.

ClimateXChange continues to explore the implications of the international guidance for greenhouse gas emissions accounting with specific reference to wetlands in Scotland. Download our reports using the links to the right. They are:

• Potential Abatement from Peatland Restoration exploring the range of possible CO2 emissions from Scottish peatland restoration, carbon savings from all peatland restoration carried out since 1990 and the potential for carbon savings up to 2027 and a realistic restoration abatement figure. Methane and nitrous oxide fluxes were not fully considered in this early work (February 2012, revised March 2013).
• Carbon Calculator – since 2011, applications for the development of wind farms of 50 MW or greater on peatland sites have been expected to use the Scottish Government’s Peatland Carbon Calculator (the C calculator) as part of their environmental impact assessment.This report reviews the current use of the C calculator in Scotland, and considers the potential for enhancing and extending its use.
• An assessment of the proposed IPCC “2013 Supplement to the 2006 guidelines: Wetlands” for use in GHG accounting of Scottish peatland restoration – a report examining the implications of the emission factors identified in the draft 2013 Supplement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines – (February 2014).
• A more detailed technical review of the implications of the 2013 supplement 2013 Supplement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories: Wetlands and a summary of the report (February 2015).

This brief identifies abatement measures for the agriculture sector further to those in the first Report on Proposals and Policies (RPP1). Through an initial quantification the brief also ranks these measures in terms of how likely they may be to be included in the time horizon of the second Report on Proposals and Policies (RPP2).

The report analyses the maximum technical potential abatement that could be achieved from these measures, and does not take account of real-world constraints which mean that these theoretical abatement levels are unlikely to be achievable in practice.

The interest in identifying this extra potential arose from the challenge of achieving Scotland’s emissions reductions aims for the time horizon of RPP2.

ClimateXChange produced this brief early in the preparation of the second Report on Proposals and Policies. Its purpose was to help frame questions and lines of enquiry and as a result, did not fully take account of real-world constraints (economic, political, social, institutional) that mean that these theoretical abatement levels are unlikely to be achievable in practice. ClimateXChange produced these reports in early 2012, and some of the figures presented may have since been updated.

ClimateXChange was asked by the Scottish Government to produce a summary of research contributing to adaptation to climate change in the agricultural sector in Scotland, focusing on crops and livestock production.  

The report is being used by the Scottish Government to help prepare the section on agriculture for the first statutory Adaptation Programme.

Marine Scotland asked ClimateXChange to provide a short brief about Blue Carbon. Blue Carbon refers to the ability of coastal ecosystems, including sea grasses and kelp, to absorb and store carbon – in the same way as forests do on land.
The enquiry asked for a brief covering:

• the current scientific knowledge in Scotland or the rest of the UK (including any on-going research);
• the scientific possibility on any action that could be taken.

ClimateXChange commissioned the brief from The Scottish Association for Marine Science. It has given officials the background they need to consider this emerging issue.

This project reviewed barley and potato as crops, paying particular attention to resilience traits in order to assess strengths and weaknesses in relation to food security. We assessed production, distribution, trade and uses worldwide, and investigated supply chain issues for end-users.

Barley and potato are two important crops in relation to a growing world population. Compared to other cereals, barley is an inherently resilient crop with great potential for adaptation, not only to climate change, but also for new uses, particularly human food.  Potato is a critical crop in terms of food security as more than a billion people worldwide eat potato.

Climate change is likely to affect the stability of barley yield through increased problems with waterlogging in winter and water stress in drier, warmer summers. Management strategies that only focus on maximising yield (potential) can cause over-use or inefficient use of soils – which can lead to instability in future yields.

Through genomics we have got a better understanding of the key genes and mechanisms underlying potato development, physiology, water and nutrient use efficiency and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. This improves our ability to adapt potato plants to withstand multiple pest, pathogens and environmental stresses as a result of climate change. This is critical to potato remaining a major food source.

The assessments were carried out using expert opinion, data from many current and recent research projects including with industry, and extensive literature reviews.

Whether people realise it or not, they receive many benefits from the natural world around them.These benefits from surrounding ecosystems (interaction of plants, animals and natural processes) are known as ecosystem services.

By understanding the interdependence of ecosystem services and attempting to quantify their value, it is possible to understand the balance of positive and negative impacts of a certain policy or management practice. This is fundamental in the ecosystem service approach, which aims to reduce the risk of unforeseen consequences by helping policy makers to make informed decisions whilst considering the full range of potential impacts.