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global change
January 1, 2022
Society needs to re-think its relationship with the natural world if we are to avoid the worst consequences of climate change and pandemics, the James Hutton Institute has urged in the 2022 episode of BBC Scotland’s Resolutions programme...
December 12, 2021
Following on the back of COP26, planning proposals are being put forward to build the UK’s first purpose-built tall tower for directly measuring greenhouse gases from land at the James Hutton Institute’s Balruddery Farm, in Angus near...
August 8, 2021
Building work starts in earnest for International Barley Hub and Advanced Plant Growth Centre (News)
Building work has now begun on the International Barley Hub (IBH) and Advanced Plant Growth Centre (APGC) at the James Hutton Institute. The two plant science innovation centres are being supported by £45 million from the UK Government...
June 6, 2021
The James Hutton Institute is delighted to support one of seven Climate Beacons that are taking shape across Scotland in the run-up to and beyond the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference that’s happening in Glasgow this November.
May 5, 2021
A new research project involving 39 partners from 19 countries and including James Hutton Institute scientists has received €10 million from the European Union. The Horizon 2020 funded project FireEUrisk, launching this month, aims to shift...
May 5, 2021
The James Hutton Institute has announced the appointment of Sir Paul Grice, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Queen Margaret University, to its Board of Directors as a non-executive director.
Sir Paul held the position of Clerk and Chief...
April 4, 2021
Environmental and agricultural research at centre of new Hutton-Utah State University partnership (News)
A partnership agreement has been signed between Utah State University and the James Hutton Institute to promote cooperation in agricultural and environmental research, with emphasis on climate change issues.
The agreement was signed by...
March 3, 2021
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 hillwalkers,...
March 3, 2021
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 Government via the Tay...
March 3, 2021
A recent study published in Conservation Letters co-authored by a James Hutton Institute ecologist has investigated the number of women and the geographic distribution among the 1051 top-publishing authors in 13 leading journals in ecology and...
December 12, 2020
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 multiple species...
October 10, 2020
September 9, 2020
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 UN warns in a...
September 9, 2020
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 anaerobic digestion....
August 8, 2020
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-based spirit...
April 4, 2020
A Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) between the James Hutton Institute and Davidsons Animal Feeds aiming to explore seaweed-based feeds, with associated benefits in terms of meat quality and a reduced carbon footprint, has been shortlisted for...
April 4, 2020
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, urbanisation...
March 3, 2020
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 change, an...
February 2, 2020
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 collaboration with...
December 12, 2019
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 their daily habits...
December 12, 2019
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 climate change on...
September 9, 2019
A new Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) involving the James Hutton Institute and Davidsons Animal Feeds is exploring the possibilities of protein-rich UK seaweeds to replace some currently used ingredients in the production of ruminant animal...
May 5, 2019
Capacities for completely replacing animal protein in the human diet are limited and would require “major changes” in the structure of global agricultural food systems, according to new research.
A study carried out by Scottish...
May 5, 2019
Nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history — and the rate of species extinctions is accelerating, with grave impacts on people around the world now likely, warns a landmark new report from the Intergovernmental...
April 4, 2019
Newbie UK Case Studies (Project)
Case Studies in the UK
TEXT
Key contacts
Lee-Ann Sutherland Adam Calo
Follow @newbieuk
April 4, 2019
NEWBIE - New Entrant netWork - Events (Project)
NEWBIE Events
At Newbie UK, we're working to be abreast of the ongoing work of farmers, advisory services, and governments to support and research new entrant farming. Any questions about events you see? Send an email to Adam Calo.
April 4, 2019
NEWBIE - Background (Project)
In NEWBIE, “new entrants” are defined as anyone who starts a new farm business or becomes involved in an existing farm business. They comprise a wide range of ages, agricultural experience and resource access. Newcomers and successors...
December 12, 2018
UnderStories - Storying woodland use, management and expansion in the Cairngorms National Park (Project)
What is the story with woodlands in the Cairngorms National Park? Or should we say, what are the stories, as there are many threads of stories of actual, former or speculative woodlands weaving in and out that make this area what it...
December 12, 2018
Even if it has been dark for months, Rudolph always knows when it is Christmas Eve.
In a new paper published in Scientific Reports, an international collaboration of scientists from the James Hutton Institute, the University of Veterinary...
October 10, 2018
Peatlands store large amounts of terrestrial carbon and any changes to their carbon balance could cause large changes in the greenhouse gas balance of the Earth's atmosphere. There is still much uncertainty about how the GHG dynamics of...
August 8, 2018
Researchers from the James Hutton Institute have discovered the apparent benefits of workplace sharing with regards to reducing commuting times and CO2 emissions can be negated by corporate culture and organisational structure.
Using an agent-...
September 9, 2017
NEFERTITI will establish an EU-wide highly connected network of well-specified demonstration and pilot farms, which is designed to enhance thematic knowledge exchange, cross fertilisation among actors and efficient innovation uptake in the...
March 3, 2016
Is the land-based sector in North East Scotland resilient enough to face future challenges? This question, along with many others, is at the centre of a report commissioned by the North East Scotland Agricultural Advisory Group (NESAAG) and...
August 8, 2015
June 6, 2015
A free, open source modelling platform that seeks to become a vibrant network of agricultural greenhouse gas researchers, model developers and students has been launched on World Environment 2015.
February 2, 2015
We all think we have some idea of what ‘natural’ is, whether it’s the green meadows we pass by on the train or the fresh and colourful vegetables we pick out in the market. However, our countryside and the food we eat are the...
February 2, 2015
Plant diseases cost the world enough food to feed at least half a billion people, equivalent to 100 times the population of Scotland, every year. The interaction between plants, microbes and insects is a key battleground in the global fight for...
February 2, 2015
Global wheat production can be expected to fall by 6% for each degree centigrade of temperature increase together with increased variability of yield across regions and seasons; that is the main finding of an international consortium of...
January 1, 2015
Books and Book Chapters (Research Page)
Water Ecosystem Services - A Global Perspective
November 11, 2014
Researchers from the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia (AIS) visited the James Hutton Institute as part of the CropSustaIn project, which looks into alternatives for sustainable crop production in Slovenia in the face of global change. The...
October 10, 2014
Soils@Hutton - Soil and food security (Research Page)
Soils & Sustainable production
October 10, 2014
Soils@Hutton - Soil and Climate Change (Research Page)
Learn more about soils & climate change
September 9, 2014
Researchers at the James Hutton Institute have endorsed and repeated the view of this week’s high-profile Development Dialogues conference in New York that work to ‘climate-proof’ agriculture lies at the core of sustainable...
February 2, 2014
The Atlantic Maritime Croplands – sustainability and environment (Research Page)
A case study on sustainable agriculture and the environment at the James Hutton Institute
January 1, 2014
Vibrant Rural Communities workshop (Research Page)
A workshop was held at Birnam Arts and Conference Centre on 20 November 2013 to provide an update on research being conducted as part of the Vibrant Rural Communities theme of the Food, Land and People Strategic Research programme, funded by...
December 12, 2013
HUNTing for Sustainability (Project)
Project aim
The overall goal of the project ‘Hunting for Sustainability’ was to assess the social, cultural, economic and ecological functions and impacts of hunting across a broad range of contexts in Europe and Africa. Funding was...
December 12, 2013
The aim of TESS is to investigate the role of community-based transition initiatives in fostering a more low-carbon and sustainable Europe. TESS is a European Union project funded under the Seventh Framework Programme, and...
December 12, 2013
Foodscapes (Project)
Project aim
Foodscapes aims to explore how arts intervention and cultural engagement can help address social and economic exclusion, food poverty, and sustainability. It has been funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council/Economic and...
December 12, 2013
FarmPath – Farming Transitions: Pathways towards regional sustainability of agriculture in Europe (Project)
The overall goal of FarmPath is to identify and assess future transition pathways towards regional sustainability of agriculture in Europe, and the social and technological innovation needs required to initiate and progress along these pathways....
February 2, 2012
Soils and climate change (Research Page)
The climate is changing in response to the increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. While the burning of fossil fuels has made a major contribution to the levels of carbon dioxide, soils have been responsible for part...
February 2, 2012
COMET-LA was a project coordinated by the University of Cordoba and funded under the European Commission Framework Programme 7. The acronym stands for “COmmunity-based Management of EnvironmenTal challenges in Latin America”. The...
October 10, 2011
Sand dune communities and climate change (Research Page)
Scotland’s sand dune vegetation has been assessed to investigate species distribution in relation to ecological variables. The response of the vegetation is modelled to assess if ecosystem processes and species distribution are related to...
