Winter ....you aint seen nothing yet

[DimPrawn]

Are the olives ready yet? I like olive ice-cream.

Britain's first olive grove is a sign of our hotter times - Environment - The Independent

In one of the most remarkable signs yet of the advance of global warming, Britain's first olive grove has been planted in Devon.


Temperatures have risen so far in recent years that it is now considered possible to grow the iconic fruit of the Mediterranean countries commercially in southern England.

Several studies have suggested that, in decades to come, olives, vines and other warm-climate plants will be likely to flourish in a substantially warmer Britain. Now a Devon smallholder has taken the plunge and, in partnership with an Italian olive specialist, planted a grove of 120 olive trees on the banks of the river Otter near Honiton.

[BlasterBates]

Mark Diacono, who is establishing a "climate change farm" on his land, intends his olives to be a commercial crop which will produce Britain's first home-grown olive oil, in five to seven years. He has planted them in co-operation with an Italian gardener living in England, Emilio Ciacci, who has provided the trees from the hills near his home at Maremma, Tuscany.

A 39-year-old environmental consultant, Mr Diacono has no doubt that UK temperatures are becoming suitable for olive cultivation. "There's no question that the climate is going to get there," he said. "It's just, have I done this 10 years too early or 20 years too early?

"But I don't think so. We don't need to turn into Portugal really, we just need it to be slightly warmer for longer, and we are making that shift. We are crossing that threshold."

[EternalOptimist]

Its that man Viner again

the end of skiiing in Scotland

doomed - 2004

Unfortunately, it's just getting too hot for the Scottish ski industry," said David Viner, of the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia. "It is very vulnerable to climate change; the resorts have always been marginal in terms of snow and, as the rate of climate change increases, it is hard to see a long-term future


Boomed - 2010

The best conditions for more than a decade have sparked a boom at Aviemore, Scotland's biggest resort, where 20,000 skiers have so far taken to the slopes, four times the number at this time last year. Beaming Scottish tourist officials report that ski accommodation bookings are up 500%. At Ben Nevis, the highest skiing location in the country, resort manager Heather Negus said it expected to be "mobbed out" after slashing the cost of a one-day pass including lifts, tuition and ski kit....

[DimPrawn]

I was vastly amused by Ian Stewart on his Making of Scotland* programme the other day.

Goes through all the non manmade climate changes over the last 5000 years or so, with the temperature going up & down by 2 or 3 degrees as it saw fit.

Then we get to 1900 & suddenly it's all AGW caused by steam engines & the like.

Amazing.



* or whatever the feck it's called.

Yes, that programme amused me too, with his talk of natural mini-ice ages, medieval warm period, all natural rapid warming/cooling, then some twattish Scot invents coal or steam or something, and boom, it's all them car owners innit.