A conference will be taking place later this month which will look at the impacts of climate change in the south and east of the UK and present the commercial opportunities available to growers.

The event, ‘Action Planning and Opportunities for land based businesses’, will take place at the University of Reading’s School of Agriculture, Policy and Development on September 25.

The conference contends that the most significant effects in the UK of climate change will be in the rural areas of the south and east. It will look at the commercial opportunities arising from climate change, the impact of the most up-to-date climate change scenarios on the land-based sector in the south of England, identify strageties for businesses to minimise adverse climate change impacts, and will examine how legislation is likely to affect businesses.

Organisers say that the conference will be of interest to grower businesses, as well as seed and fertiliser companies, among others.

Speakers on the day include John Gilliland, chairman of the Rural Climate Change Forum; Professor Richard Ellis or the University of Reading, speaking on the impact of climate change on land use; the NFU’s Dr Jonathon Scurlock on agricultural impacts and opportunities; Robert Runcie of the Environment Agency on environmental impacts and water usage; Professor Allan Buckwell of the Country Land & Business Association on carbon accounting; and Roger Street of UK Climate Impacts Programme, who will talk about supporting adaptation.

This will be followed by various breakout sessions, one of which will focus upon horticulture and plants. Speakers at that will include professors Peter Mills of Warwick HRI, Pedro Pinto from Lisbon and Geoff Dixon from the Institute of Horticulture.

Further information is available from www.nationalrural.org.

Topics