A new booklet has been produced to show how climate change will potentially affect England.

Freak weather, buckled railway tracks, water shortages, radical changes to farming and landscapes – according to a recent report, this could potentially be the shape of south east England by 2050 if actions to lessen the impact of climate change are not introduced now.

The news comes from a report, Our Changing Climate, Our Changing Lives – South East, which has been produced as a booklet by 11 organisations including WWF-UK and the National Trust in order to raise awareness of how climate change can affect the country.

Businesses, manufacturers and communities are likely to be affected by the changes, which could include permanent hosepipe bans, alternating flood and drought, and the altering of landscapes due to weather changes – for example, fig and olive farms taking over from potato farming, and changes in fruit growth from apples to pomegranates and citrus fruits.

Business and commuter travel could also potentially be affected as road surfaces melt or crack in the weather conditions, and train services suffer delays due to buckled or fractured railway tracks.

Colin Butfield, Head of Campaigns at WWF-UK, “An increase in average global temperature of more than two degrees centigrade will have catastrophic results for our planet. Closer to home, the way we travel to work, the sports we play, our health, and our environment could all be affected by shifting weather patterns.

“We are already witnessing changes in the South East, along with every other part of the country. Such severe scenarios could be lessened as we still have the power to make changes for the better. The impact of homes on the environment can easily be decreased, for instance, with new developments built to high eco-standards and renewable energy playing an increasing role in providing our energy needs.”

To find out more about how climate change will affect England, visit www.tomorrowsengland.net.