Kent and other counties in southeastern England could be too dry to support arable crops and fit only for livestock farming by 2100, according to the Met Office. The forecast is based on a combination of climate change projections from scientists at Oxford University and computer models developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The predictions are based on a global failure to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, leading to potential temperature rises of 4C-5C. The only way to preserve arable farming in the southeast under such conditions would be through large-scale irrigation.
Kent and other counties in southeastern England could be too dry to support arable crops and fit only for livestock farming by 2100, according to the Met Office. Scientists from the weather service claim that warmer temperatures will see arable farming move to the north and west of the country, where crops could replace sheep even on hilly moorland areas. The predictions are based on a global failure to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, leading to potential temperature rises of 4C-5C. The only way to preserve arable farming in the southeast under such conditions would be through large-scale irrigation.