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Climate Change
Climate change is a large-scale, long-term shift in the planet's weather patterns and average temperatures. Earth has had tropical climates and ice ages many times in its 4.5 billion years. Source: MetOffice
Improved management of farmed peatlands could cut 500m tonnes of CO2 (News)
Substantial cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions could be achieved by raising water levels in agricultural peatlands, according to a new study co-authored by James Hutton Institute scientists and published in the journal Nature ... Read more
April 21, 2021
Diversification the key in agrifood systems' fight against global 'triple threat' (News)
... Read more
April 13, 2021
Pioneering soil carbon project launched (News)
First Milk, Nestlé and Agricarbon have announced the launch of a pioneering soil carbon capture project, with scientific guidance from leading soil ecologist and James Hutton Institute Honorary Associate, Dr Helaina Black. ... Read more
April 1, 2021
Volunteers wanted for innovative Scottish mountain hare survey (News)
Volunteers are wanted for the first on-the-ground national survey to shed light on the distribution and numbers of Scottish mountain hares. The survey, which is launched today and will carry on throughout 2021, is calling on hillw ... Read more
March 22, 2021
Tay Cities Deal go-ahead for International Barley Hub and Advanced Plant Growth Centre (News)
The International Barley Hub and the Advanced Plant Growth Centre, two flagship innovation projects supported through a transformational capital investment of £45m by the UK Government and £17m by the Scottish Governme ... Read more
March 19, 2021
World Water Day 2021: finding the true value of Scotland’s water (News)
What is the true value of water in Scotland and what does it mean to you? On Monday 22nd March, the Hydro Nation International Centre, supported by the Scottish Government and the James Hutton Institute are hosting a free online c ... Read more
March 8, 2021
New appointments to boost flagship innovation initiatives (News)
The James Hutton Institute has announced the appointment of directors for three flagship research and innovation initiatives: the International Barley Hub (IBH) and the Advanced Plant Growth Centre (APGC), both based in Dundee, an ... Read more
February 12, 2021
Hutton expertise contributes to parliamentary discussion on Scotland’s plans to address climate change (News)
Scotland's Climate Change Plan update was published on 16 December 2020 and is currently undergoing scrutiny from parliamentary committees. The update includes new targets for Scotland’s agriculture and forestry sectors ... Read more
February 5, 2021
Growing Beyond Monoculture: final episode in DIVERSify web series goes live (News)
As part of the EU Horizon 2020 research project DIVERSify, researchers of the James Hutton Institute and partner institutions have been working on investigating the viability of species mixture cropping as an alternative to crop m ... Read more
January 28, 2021
Video series launched to highlight research and management at Glensaugh (News)
In support of the James Hutton Institute’s Climate-Positive Farming initiative at Glensaugh, which explores a transformational approach to farming that achieves net-zero or even negative carbon emissions whilst protecting na ... Read more
January 26, 2021
2021, International Year of Fruits and Vegetables (News)
2021 is the United Nations' International Year of Fruits and Vegetables, bringing public attention to the key role of fruit and vegetables in human nutrition, food security and health – all key strands of work at the Jam ... Read more
January 1, 2021
James Hutton Institute welcomes Tay Cities Deal signing and highlights urgency of innovation projects (News)
The James Hutton Institute has today welcomed the signing of the Tay Cities Deal, hailing it as a huge vote of confidence in Tayside, while also highlighting the urgency of innovation projects funded by the Deal including the Inte ... Read more
December 17, 2020
New research shows increased camouflage mismatch in mountain hares due to climate change (News)
Mountain hares in Scotland show increasing camouflage mismatch due to less snowy winters, according to a new study carried out by an international research team including the James Hutton Institute. Mountain hares are one of mul ... Read more
December 16, 2020
Scotland’s natural habitats at risk due to intolerable nitrogen levels (News)
Many of Scotland’s iconic landscapes and natural habitats have intolerable nitrogen levels according to a report released by Plantlife Scotland today. Endorsed by the James Hutton Institute and produced using some of its dat ... Read more
December 10, 2020
HydroGlen: transforming Glensaugh farm into a renewable powerhouse (News)
The James Hutton Institute has been awarded funding from the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) to undertake a feasibility study for a green-hydrogen-powered farming community around its Glen ... Read more
December 8, 2020
World Soil Day: heads up - the answer lies under our feet (News)
By Pete Iannetta, Alison Karley, Cathy Hawes and David Michie ... Read more
December 4, 2020
A journey from source to sea: travelling along the River Dee (News)
Scotland boasts a hugely varied coastline and a rich offering of inland waters in both rural and urban settings which host an amazing array of riches, come in all shapes and sizes, and are greatly valued and cherished by communiti ... Read more
November 26, 2020
Environmentally friendly PPE in Scots researchers’ sights (News)
The global use of personal protection equipment (PPE) has skyrocketed due to COVID-19, propelling the industry to revenues of more than £8bn in the UK alone, and although a coronavirus vaccine now seems closer, PPE is likely ... Read more
November 10, 2020
New Chair of the James Hutton Institute Board of Directors announced (News)
The James Hutton Institute has today announced the appointment of a new Chair for the Institute Board. ... Read more
October 26, 2020
Pioneering natural capital approach to land use management in the Scottish uplands (News)
A pioneering analysis by James Hutton Institute social scientists explores the potential and value of applying a ‘natural capital’ approach to the land-based business of the Institute’s Glensaugh farm, where the ... Read more
September 30, 2020
Natural world and humanity at a crossroads: UN Global Biodiversity Outlook report published (News)
Despite encouraging progress in several areas, the health of the natural world is suffering badly and getting worse. Eight transformative changes are, therefore, urgently needed to ensure human wellbeing and save the planet, the U ... Read more
September 15, 2020
Huge potential of food waste to support circular economies (News)
A new review paper by Hutton PhD student Camilla Negri, working alongside colleagues in Italy and China, shows that food waste has significant potential to replace crops in the production of energy and fertilisers through anaerobi ... Read more
September 2, 2020
Hutton researcher awarded fellowship to study place-based climate action (News)
Dr Alice Hague, a social scientist based at the James Hutton Institute’s Social, Economic and Geographical Sciences department in Aberdeen, has been awarded a fellowship by the Place-based Climate Action Network (PCAN) to st ... Read more
August 28, 2020
Climate-positive spirit family grows with Nàdar Vodka (News)
Coinciding with their launch of World Sustainable Spirits Day today (Fri 28th August), Scottish distillery Arbikie has introduced a second addition to their climate-positive spirit range: Nàdar Vodka, crafted from the pea-b ... Read more
August 28, 2020
New European research into future-proof, resilient potatoes (News)
A group of leading European academic research institutions including the James Hutton Institute have joined forces to launch the ADAPT (Accelerated Development of multiple-stress tolerAnt PoTato) project, which seeks to develop st ... Read more
August 28, 2020
Climate change may put Scottish private water supplies at risk of running dry (News)
The latest UK climate projections show a trend towards drier and warmer summers, with the west of Scotland set to become wetter and the east drier, plus more frequent instances of heavy rainfall. New research by the James Hutton I ... Read more
August 20, 2020
Not seeing the carbon for the trees? Mapping net change in carbon from afforestation in Scotland (News)
Tree planting and woodland expansion are often touted as desirable ways to soak up atmospheric carbon and help stem climate change. They are a frequent feature of climate change mitigation policies, but these policies often assume ... Read more
August 13, 2020
Groundbreaking research to develop soil carbon sequestration monitoring system (News)
Capturing carbon in soil is a frequent feature of climate change mitigation measures, but the variability in soils and greenhouse gas emissions makes it difficult to evaluate results. A new £1 million research project led by ... Read more
July 28, 2020
Long-term ecological monitoring offers insight into the state of Europe’s biodiversity (News)
New research by an international research team including ecologists at the James Hutton Institute has produced the most comprehensive long-term image of the state of biodiversity across Europe, showing -among a number of findings ... Read more
July 21, 2020
Tree planting does not always boost ecosystem carbon stocks, study finds (News)
Planting huge numbers of trees to mitigate climate change is “not always the best strategy” – with some experimental sites in Scotland failing to increase carbon stocks, a new study co-authored by Hutton scientis ... Read more
July 15, 2020
Choosing Our Tomorrows: Video Diaries of a Farming Family, set in 2050 (Research Page)
It is the year 2050. How has society reacted and adapted to climate change? A farming family have recorded three sets of video diaries. Dad (Jack), mum (Beth) and daughter (Sally). Each set of diaries decsribes life in diff ... Read more
World Environment Day: it’s time to nurture nature (News)
Biodiversity —the variety of species, the genes within them, and the habitats in which they live— is threatened like never before. According to figures from the United Nations Environment Programme, we are on the verge ... Read more
June 5, 2020
Climate justice the focus of Hutton’s first online screening (News)
The award-winning film Thank You For The Rain was the focus of the James Hutton Institute’s first ever collective 'online' film screening on the 6th of April, highlighting a range of issues including climate justice, ... Read more
April 9, 2020
Social tipping dynamics key to stabilise Earth’s climate by 2050 (News)
Countries around the world must induce ‘social tipping’ dynamics by introducing far-reaching social and technological changes if they are to successfully decarbonise and prevent the devastating consequences of climate ... Read more
March 18, 2020
Agricarbon: helping farmers tap into the carbon credits market (News)
An initiative supported by the James Hutton Institute has set its sights on developing methods for measuring soil carbon with a cost-effective commercial tool to help UK farmers tap into the carbon credits market. Agricarbon, le ... Read more
February 21, 2020
World’s first ‘climate positive’ gin produced from peas (News)
The world’s first “climate-positive” gin has been created by UK scientists — using the humble garden pea. Five years of research at Abertay University and the James Hutton Institute in Scotland, in collabor ... Read more
February 19, 2020
New research highlights long-term impact of flooding on communities (News)
A new report by Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW), highlights the profound and long-lasting impacts of flooding on individuals, businesses and communities in Scotland. ... Read more
February 11, 2020
Agroforestry and peatland restoration can help deliver shift in land use, Hutton researchers say (News)
The UK Committee on Climate Change’s new report's recognition of agroforestry and peatland restoration as key actions to help deliver the major shift in land use needed to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2 ... Read more
January 23, 2020
2020, International Year of Plant Health and Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters (News)
2020 is the International Year of Plant Health and Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters, bringing public attention to two huge global challenges and for good reason, say scientists at the James Hutton Institute. ... Read more
January 9, 2020
Ideas for climate-smart, nutritious festive meals (News)
With countries struggling to press forward after the recent COP25 summit in Madrid, and ever-increasing awareness of the impact that the climate emergency is having on our planet, consumers can do their bit by making changes to th ... Read more
December 17, 2019
Estimating the impact of climate change on snow cover in the Cairngorms (News)
A report commissioned by the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) and ClimateXChange, Scotland’s centre of expertise connecting climate change research and policy, explores potential changes to snow cover caused by clim ... Read more
December 2, 2019
Spotlight on Hutton soil science at 7th International Soil Organic Matter symposium (News)
Given the urgency of the climate crisis, it is past time to start driving large-scale change and the James Hutton Institute is well-placed to focus on the implementation of land management options that we know are beneficial for s ... Read more
October 28, 2019
Research team aim to ensure maize crop stability in southern Africa (News)
Maize is the most important cereal crop in southern Africa but without new management practices and with the increased risk of drought, yields which are already low are predicted to further decline. It is therefore critical that n ... Read more
August 12, 2019
Orskov Foundation to support African students in fight against changes in food security and climate change (News)
The Orskov Foundation, created to support students from developing countries to further their education in subjects related to agriculture, land use or the environment, has announced its grant awards for 2019. They include support ... Read more
July 30, 2019
Focus on Ethiopian barley for improved livelihoods (News)
Food security and livelihoods for a majority of Ethiopians depends on smallholder farming, and barley is an important crop grown by over 4 million smallholder farmers for multiple uses as food, feed and as a cash crop for an emerg ... Read more
July 26, 2019
Arable Conversations: a chance to speak your mind at Arable Scotland (News)
Do you have any burning questions about key issues influencing Scotland’s arable industry? Come to Arable Scotland (Balruddery Farm near Dundee, 2 July 2019), the newly launched event focussing on the innovations that will d ... Read more
June 25, 2019
Tay Cities Deal success celebrated at Royal Highland Show 2019 (News)
The James Hutton Institute celebrated its Tay Cities Deal success at this year's Royal Highland Show alongside industry guests and stakeholders, with the support of the Rt Hon David Mundell, Secretary of State for Scotland. ... Read more
June 20, 2019
Human activity means UK peatlands contribute to climate change (News)
The UK’s peatlands are making a significant contribution to our greenhouse gas emissions because of the way they are managed, a major new study has shown. Peatlands occupy 12% of the UK’s land area and store vast qua ... Read more
June 12, 2019
James Hutton Institute outlines plans for open science campuses (News)
Ambitious plans for the establishment of two open science campuses at the James Hutton Institute’s sites in Dundee and Aberdeen were outlined by the Institute’s Chief Executive, Professor Colin Campbell, at the Scottis ... Read more
June 6, 2019
Hutton expertise contributes to proposed climate change Scottish legislation (News)
Ways to achieve the ambitious greenhouse emission targets, as described in the proposed Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill, were at the centre of discussions during a session of the Environment, Climate C ... Read more
May 30, 2019
How to get a competitive edge through good environmental practices: VIBES Awards (Event)
Many businesses are trying to distinguish themselves from their competitors, attract new clients and win new markets. Getting recognition for good environmental practices through VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards ... Read more
Scotland’s agriculture needs to improve its resilience, Hutton climate change researcher says (News)
Scotland’s agricultural landscape will need to adapt to new levels of variation in climate, policy and local and global markets if it is to successfully tackle the growing trend of climate change; that was one of the key mes ... Read more
February 20, 2019
Film screening: Queen of the Sun - What are the Bees telling us? (Event)
We are pleased to invite you to a free screening of the ‘Queen of the Sun – What are the Bees telling us?’ which is an alternative look at the global bee crisis from Taggart Siegel. Doors open 6.30pm, film begins ... Read more
ClimateChange@Hutton - the James Hutton Institute's role (Research Page)
Scotland stores more carbon per unit area of land than most countries in the world, having over four times the global average soil carbon per square metre. We also have a strong renewables industry and a national population that i ... Read more
ClimateChange@Hutton - Policy and Society (Research Page)
Scottish and UK Government policy covers several areas relevant to climate change. The James Hutton Institute is in a strong position to inform policy development, by providing strong scientific evidence relating to specific mitig ... Read more
ClimateChange@Hutton - Agriculture (Research Page)
Agriculture is inescapably entwined with Scotland’s landscape, and so any changes to our climate will impact on the types of crop we can grow and how much food they produce. At the James Hutton Institute, we are working on s ... Read more
ClimateChange@Hutton - Education (Research Page)
The James Hutton Institute carries out workshops and other activities with stakeholders across multiple sectors, looking at how climate change is affecting them and how it will continue to do so. Many of our staff engage with loca ... Read more
ClimateChange@Hutton - Economy and Energy (Research Page)
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ClimateChange@Hutton - the Environment (Research Page)
Scotland’s environment has developed over thousands of years, shaped by human and natural processes into a complex and interconnected set of systems. Climate change is fundamentally altering some of these systems, and the ef ... Read more
ClimateChange@Hutton - Forestry and Woodland (Research Page)
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ClimateChange@Hutton - Soils and Water (Research Page)
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ClimateChange@Hutton (Research Page)
Welcome to ClimateChange@Hutton ... Read more
