The South East
More than two thirds of land in the South East is farmed with traditional crops such as potatoes, apples and strawberries. Warmer weather could see this landscape altered with the introduction of figs, soya and even olives.
Gardeners would have to learn about new, more exotic species of plants and trees. By 2050 favourites like delphiniums and lupins could be replaced by pomegranates, citrus fruits and apricots.
Models suggest beech trees would come under threat from gales and drought. Some birds could lose their natural habitats and vanish from the region as new species like the black kite and the great reed warbler took up residence. The hedgehog, already in decline, could be extinct by 2025 if its habitual food of slugs literally dries up.
As the Mediterranean becomes too hot as a comfortable holiday destination, the south coast would be become a more desirable alternative with August temperatures regularly in excess of 30ºC. This would reduce carbon emissions from air travel and airport expansion; however, the increased heat could prove disastrous for transport across the region.
Hot spells could cause chaos on the roads as road surfaces suffer. On the trains, speed restrictions from buckled and fractured rails or trackside fires would become the norm but frozen points would be a thing of the past.
These higher temperatures would also impact on the health of the region. Scientists say the death rate increases 3.3 per cent for every degree rise in temperature above 21.5C while instances of food poisoning would become more frequent.
Flash floods and storm surges are set to increase as the climate changes; this will particularly affect the low-lying South East, impacting thousands of homes and businesses in addition to industrial areas. Hosepipe bans would become permanent as water became more scarce and expensive, especially as water demand in the region is due to rise by 11% over the next 23 years.
Racing at Cowes may increasingly be disturbed by violent summer storms and Henley regatta could be flooded out in a summer flash flood on the Thames. Wetter winters would mean that rain stops play at football grounds across the region.
If the grass burns to a crisp and water restrictions are in place in the summer, golf, cricket and football could all be disrupted. Falling river levels could impact on fish stocks.
With predictions that sea levels will rise by 34cm by 2050 in the English Channel, beaches along the coast could disappear and Henry VIII’s artillery castles along the South coast could all be affected by increased coastal erosion.
This outlines the wide-ranging impacts that climate change will have on the South East of England - cutting across nature, landscapes, our economy and our lifestyles. Although some change is inevitable, there is still enough time to prevent some of the worst impacts.
