Global warming: Scotland's climate is 'changing faster than expected'
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New research, on behalf of the Scottish Government, says that Scotland's climate could be changing faster than expected.
Researchers say some parts of Scotland are already experiencing higher average temperatures - those not expected to be reached until 2050.
The study, by the James Hutton Institute, says increases in winter rainfall have also exceeded the 2050 projections.
But what does this mean for Scotland and climate change?
What does the Scotland climate report say?
There was heavy flooding in Scotland in October 2023 due to the effects of Storm Babet
The report says that average temperatures in Scotland in February rose to those expected for 2050. It says this suggests that temperatures are getting warmer faster than predicted.
The scientists doing the research also said that rainfall - how much rain has fallen - is already above what was expected for 2050.
Scotland's Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition Mairi McAllan said: "These findings underline that the climate emergency is not a distant threat - it is with us today."
When the oceans heat up, more water evaporates into the air. This means there's more water inside of clouds, which leads to heavier rain.
This year, the whole of the UK had the hottest June ever, and the whole world had the hottest July ever.
Climate scientists say moving towards more renewable energy sources - like wind-power - can reduce the amount of fossil fuels being used and slow down the rate of climate change
Researcher Dr Mike Rivington, who worked on the Scotland report, said that Scotland's climate change could impact biodiversity, agriculture (farming) and things like water and energy.
"Less and warmer water in streams impacts river health and water quality due to higher concentrations of pollution, but also increased potential for flooding in winter due to increased rainfall" he said.
The fact that we have already experienced some of the projected changes in Scotland's climate suggests that climate change is happening faster
Ruth Taylor, agriculture and land use manager at WWF Scotland, said the research will not surprise Scottish farmers.
She said: "Over recent years they have battled periods of extreme heat, drought, and flooding to grow the food we all rely on."
Can the impacts of climate change be reduced?
The authors of the report say that there are practical ways to limit some of the effects of climate change - through farming processes and working with flooding and droughts
Dr Mike Rivington said: "We can adjust to manage these risks better. For example, we could capture and store more of that excess rainfall from the winter months for use in summer."
"Farms can increase the organic matter in soils, so they store more water for droughty periods. We can also use the knowledge to plan better and have better surveillance e.g. raise greater awareness about wildfire risk."