The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute is well represented at the International Alliance of Research Institutes’ Climate Change: Global risks, challenges and decisions conference, being held at Copenhagen University.

The two day conference (10th-12th March) is one of the world’s largest ever interdisciplinary events on climate change with more than 2,000 participants from around 80 countries. The Climate Congress was opened on 10th March by Connie Hedegaard, the Danish Minister of Climate and Energy, and John Ashton, climate advisor to the British Government.

Papers being presented by scientists from the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute include research on “Future Agricultural Production and Climate Change” “Rural community engagement on climate change in Scotland”, and “Adapting land use to climate change”.

The purpose of the event is to add the latest research on climate change compiled in the IPCC reports. The outcome of the conference will be summed up in a report to be given to political negotiators as preparation for COP15 in December in Copenhagen where a new global climate agreement is to be negotiated.

It is crucial that politicians are able to base decisions regarding the potential application of climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies on the best possible scientific foundation, and this event allows researchers to share their climate change knowledge with political decision makers.

ENDS