What Will Global Warming Mean For Britain?

Unfortunately it probably won't mean that the south of Britain becomes like the south of France, or Edinburgh obtains a Paris-like climate or Dundee becoming as warm as Penzance.

There are several likely outcomes as temperatures slowly rise in this century:
Slightly warmer summers, on average, but
More heavy rain.
That would be a heavy burden for existing sewer systems, which are designed for gentle English rain, not heavy downpours. More heavy downpours will also mean
More flooding.
More erratic and 'unseasonal' weather, including more wind and bigger storms.
Many existing eco-systems, plant and animal species that currently live here might die out, others might move in, including pest species such as mosquitoes capable of carrying malaria, or so-far unheard of in Britain crop pests.
Some existing agricultural crops might be able to grow here any more.
These sorts of disruptions will be happening globally to other countries, too, which would mean instability in populations, large-scale migration, and frazzled international relations everywhere.

A worse-case scenario concerns the Gulf Stream. At the moment, water heated in the Gulf of Mexico gets pushed north (Coriolis Effect) along the USA Atlantic Seaboard States (Georgia to Massachusetts) then veers eastwards towards Europe. This is why Europe has a relatively mild climate, considering how close GB is to the North Pole. Compare Britain (avg. winter temp about 2 deg. C) at roughly the same latitude as Labrador Canada (avg. winter temp about -10 C). As global temperatures heat up, melting ice (from the North and South pole) will slightly dilute sea water. This could mean a lowering of salt content (salinity). If the salinity goes down enough, the Gulf Stream may weaken, might even turn 'off' in some years.

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Rising water levels may mean that parts of the coastline are swept out into the sea and low lying areas are covered with water. Rising temperatures will mean a change in flora and fauna and animal inhabitation.

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