Science is not doing enough to help people envisage the future effects of climate change, according to one of the country’s top academics. Professor Richard Aspinall, Chief Executive of the Macaulay Institute, says scientists have to put more effort into “painting a picture” of how the world could be and what our lives might be like over the coming decades.

“I think the scientific community should do more to explain that many aspects of our daily lives are going to change over the next few decades as we deal with climate change. We need to talk seriously about our responses to climate changes and what these will mean in terms of the quality of our lives.

“What science needs to do is make the possible futures clearer. It’s a question of understanding how our actions today will influence the changes and what different changes mean for our lives. Climate change will bring both opportunities and threats, and we have to be ready for them and how they will affect us.

“We have choices – including doing nothing – but we can’t make those choices unless we know and understand what the potential costs and benefits are to us individually, to our families and to society as a whole.

“We regularly hear messages about ways to cut our carbon footprint – don’t travel by air, cut down our electricity usage – but what might our daily lives actually be like under a changed climate? Will we still commute to work or will more people tele-work? Will we fly to go on holiday in Europe or use high-speed trains?

“Will carbon trading become part of our daily lives and contribute to Scotland’s economic growth? Will we have individual carbon allowances? What existing and new land uses will attract economic and environmental benefits from trading carbon?”

Professor Aspinall’s comments come ahead of the first showing of a new film Choosing our Tomorrows. This has been specially commissioned by the Macaulay Institute as part of their commitment to making the research on future climate changes more accessible to the general public. The film is based in 2050 and explores three alternative futures through the eyes of the same farming family. Showing at this year’s Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh, the film is intended to help move the climate change debate on by exposing some of the possible consequences of the choices that we make today.

“We hope that people will watch and listen to these voices from the future and begin to understand what some of the consequences of having emission targets or hotter summers will be for us,” said Professor Aspinall.

Choosing our Tomorrows stars leading Scottish actor Ron Donachie, whose film and TV credits include the Graeme Obree biopic The Flying Scotsman, and shows such as Dr Who, Rebus, Heartbeat, Still Game and Taggart.

Ends

NB TV broadcasters – DigiBeta copies of the film Choosing our Tomorrows are available by contacting Kylie Maebus on 01224 654 082.

Professor Aspinall is available for interview in advance by phoning Kylie Maebus at Tricker PR on 01224 654 082 or email kmaebus@trickerpr.com, or at the Royal Highland Show between 10 and 11 am on Thursday 19 June.

Clips from the film Choosing our Tomorrows will be showing as part of the Macaulay Institute stand in the SAC Marquee, Royal Highland Show, Edinburgh, 19-22 June and will soon be available through the Macaulay Institute web site www.macaulay.ac.uk

For further information contact:

Kylie Maebus

Tricker PR

9 Victoria Street

Aberdeen

AB10 1XB

Telephone 01224 646491

Fax 01224 646492

Mobile 07795 522 010

Email kmaebus@trickerpr.com