Originally published in 1980, this book examines the evolution of the Scottish landscape from pre-historic times to the mid-nineteenth century. It considers the way in which the structural base of agriculture and the changing farming ‘system’ came to alter the Scottish rural landscape. This book, with its focus on the underlying landscape processes, gives a developmental view of landscape change. It therefore considers the crucial question of the rate and pace of landscape change and argues that the Scottish landscape was not the product of a few brief phases of quite rapid development but rather the result of a continual and gradual process of change. It also looks at the regional variation of landscape change and establishes the importance of regional linkages in the diffusion of ideas especially in new technology.

Originally published in 1980, this book examines the evolution of the Scottish landscape from pre-historic times to the mid-nineteenth century. It considers the way in which the structural base of agriculture and the changing farming 'system' came to alter the Scottish rural landscape. This book, with its focus on the underlying landscape processes, gives a developmental view of landscape change. It therefore considers the crucial question of the rate and pace of landscape change and argues that the Scottish landscape was not the product of a few brief phases of quite rapid development but rather the result of a continual and gradual process of change. It also looks at the regional variation of landscape change and establishes the importance of regional linkages in the diffusion of ideas especially in new technology.

Three important studies were initiated in the 19708 to investigate the relation ship between climatic variations and agriculture: by the National Defense University (1980) on Crop Yields and Climate Change to the Year eooo, by the U.s. Department of Transportation (1975) on Impacts 0/ Climatic Change on the Biosphere and by the U.s. Department of Energy (1980) on Environmental and Societal Consequences 0/ a Possible CO -Induced Climatic Change (the ClAP 2 study). These were pioneering projects in a young field. Their emphasis was on measuring likely impacts of climatic variations rather than on evaluating possible responses, and they focused on first-order impacts (e.g., on crop yields) rather than on higher-order effects on society. A logical next step was to look at higher-order effects and potential responses, as part of a more integrated approach to impact assessment. This was undertaken by the World Climate Impact Program (WCIF), which is directed by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). The WCIF is one of four aspects of the World Ciimate Program, which was initiated in 1979."

Three important studies were initiated in the 1970s to investigate the relation ship between climatic variations and agriculture: by the National Defense University (1980) on Crop Yields and Climate Change to the Year 2000, by the U.S. Department of Transportation (1975) on Impacts 0/ Climatic Change on the Biosphere and by the U.S. Department of Energy (1980) on Environmental and 0/ a Possible CO -Induced Climatic Change (the ClAP Societal Consequences 2 study). These were pioneering projects in a young field. Their emphasis was on measuring likely impacts of climatic variations rather than on evaluating possible responses, and they focused on first-order impacts (e.g., on crop yields) rather than on higher-order effects on society. A logical next step was to look at higher-order effects and potential responses, as part of a more integrated approach to impact assessment. This was undertaken by the World Climate Impact Program (WCIP), which is directed by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). The WCIP is one of four aspects of the World Ciimate Program, which was initiated in 1979."

Three important studies were initiated in the 1970s to investigate the relation ship between climatic variations and agriculture: by the National Delcnse University (1980) on Crop Yields and Climate Change to the Year 2000, by the U.s. Department of Transportation (1975) on Impacts of Climatic Change on the Biosphere and by the U.S. Department of Energy (1980) on Environmental and Societal Consequences of a Possible CO -Induced Climatic Change (the ClAP 2 study). These were pioneering projects in a young field. Their emphasis was on measuring likely impacts of climatic variations rather than on evaluating possible responses, and they focused on first-order impacts (e.g., on crop yields) rather than on higher-order effects on society. A logical next step was to look at higher-order effects and potential responses, as part of a more integrated approach to impact assessment. This was undertaken by the World Climate Impact Program (WCIP), which is directed by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). The WCIP is one of four aspects of the World Climate Program that was initiated in 1979. At a meeting in 1982, the Scientific Advisory Committee of WCIP accepted, in broad terms, a proposal from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) for an integrated climate impact assessment, with the proviso that the emphasis be on impacts in the agricultural sector. Martin Parry was asked to design and direct the project at IIASA. Funding was provided by UNEP, IIASA, the Austrian Government and the United Nations University."