Britain's 10 biggest eco-challenges

Climate change and energy supplies are, of course, issues of importance around the globe. But there are some energy and eco-challenges likely to put the UK to the test more than some other countries.

Britain’s top 10 future challenges include:

1. Staying dry. Two new reports from the Environment Agency find that one in six homes in England are at risk of flooding and that investment in the building and maintaining of flood defences will need to almost double to £1 billion a year by 2035, as climate change increases the risk of coastal erosion and flooding from rivers and the sea.
2. Staying cool. The Government’s UK Climate Projections 2009 find that peak summer temperatures in London could regularly hit 40 degrees C or higher if carbon emissions continue rising. Under such a scenario, East Anglia’s farmland could shrivel — seeing 60 per cent less summer rainfall — while the South-West could become warm enough to support vineyards.
3. Avoiding aliens. OK, not so much.
4. Avoiding killer fish. This one’s real, as Environmental Graffiti reports upon the recent discovery of the carnivorous giant snakehead in British waters. Protective mothers of this invasive species have attacked — sometimes even killed — humans who’ve come to close to their babies.
5. Keeping the nuclear power flowing. As Lord Mandelson notes this week, “In Britain, all but Sizewell B of the current fleet of reactors will be retired by 2023.” That means building at least eight new nuclear reactors in the country “in the near future,” he said.
6. Producing honey. Britain’s honeybee population dropped by 30 per cent in a single winter two years ago, and honeybees in many other parts of the globe are also dying or disappearing en masse. One possible solution: a return to the black bee, which provided honey for many a mead-lover in the Middle Ages.
7. Preserving history. Hotter weather, heavier rainfalls and a climate that can better support pests like termites are all threatening some of Britain’s most stately and historic homes, The Independent reports.
8. Solving the carbon-capture-and-storage challenge. The UK might have ample supplies of coal, but the energy source carries a steep price-tag in terms of carbon dioxide emissions. If the country is to meet its carbon reduction goals, it needs to find ways to quickly, efficiently and cheaply begin capturing carbon dioxide from power plant emissions and burying them for good somewhere.
9. Becoming a leaner, meaner UK. Improving efficiency across the board presents a major challenge for Britain. For example, the nation currently produces enough waste heat to provide one-fourth of its heating needs. Homes across the UK are also in dire need of a “Great Refurb” in terms of efficiency.
10. Getting smart. The Government aims to improve its nationwide energy efficiency with the help of smart meters that can help homeowners better manage power use and even send energy from solar panels or wind turbines back into the grid. To meet that goal, it aims to install residential smart meters across the country by 2020 — no small task.