University Climate Change/Agriculture Dissertation

[acrossuea1996]

Hello



I am a final year student at the University of East Anglia studying Geography. I have always had a passion for Agriculture (as I live in the countryside), so I am currently undertaking research to find out what the perceptions of Climate Change are in the industry. The online survey I have created only takes 2-3 minutes to complete and I would really appreciate your responses as they will make up the backbone of my research project.





www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/PPLLFWH





Although it is a Norfolk study, I would appreciate responses from anywhere in the country (I only chose a certain area so my supervisor would be happy).



Thanks again

Alexander

[wr]

Done.

[rgsp]

Done.

It's a poorly constructed survey, because it takes for granted increased temperatures. Climate change is almost certainly happening, but most of the predictions indicating rapidly increasing temperatures IN THE UK have been discredited: partly of course because they were based on extrapolation, and then there was a period of 19 years with no increase at all. This is not denying climate change, but it's a very complex issue and temperatures may actually fall in the UK, even if the worldwide trend is upwards.

The theory that more energy in the atmosphere means more extreme weather events is attractive, but not remotely quantitative - yet.

The greatest factor in perceived extreme weather events is improved communications: many of the events in the press now would simply not have been reported 50 years ago. Perhaps the total frequency is increasing, but we have little hard evidence to support it, other than religious fervour in certain quarters.

Cutting down on energy use in general, and energy from fossil fuels in particular, is a sensible action, but there is a very large factor of "wait and see" in what climate changes actually happen.

In terms of global catastophe, I will point out that we still do NOT understand what triggers ice ages with any certainty. The most able statisticians involved in climate science point out that a catastrophic ice age is more likely than catastrophic global warming, which is not to say that the latter is impossible.

[4wd]

I agree, there were several questions which may as well have started "How often do you beat your wife?"

It often strikes me that if our location were to warm say two degrees that would make it similar to 500 feet lower down the hill.
While the south might become rather more like Northern France.

It is hard to believe this is going to be any sort of catastrophe and the effect would be lost in the wild swings we get anyway.
There is a major industry based on exaggerating negative effects of climate change.
Of course positive effects like better weather at harvest or more useful showers during growing season are completely ignored.

For the most part I have nothing but contempt for the predictions of doom especially sad attempts to capitalise on any mildly unpleasant weather event while shaking the warming stick like a witchdoctor.

[Joyce]

Always makes me smile when we are warned about water levels rising at the same time as being shown a photo of Harlech castle now high and dry. Memory tells me that was an episode of Countryfile