Climate change will cause waves of migration into Britain, says former head of MI5

Former head of MI5 warns that climate change will lead to migration to the UK. This will make conflict-driven levels appear like ‘nothing.

As extreme weather makes it uninhabitable, migrants will flee their homes.

Baroness Eliza Manningham-Buller, who was director general of the intelligence agency from 2002 to 2007, spoke at a National Farmers’ Union lecture on Monday.

She Discussed how climate change directly affects food security in Britain. The potential migrant influx should also be discussed.

She He said, “The migration that we have seen thus far due to conflict in some cases or economic immigration will be nothing compared with the migration which northern countries in the region are going to experience as people leave areas that are uninhabitable.”

“And that is a strong reason to address climate problem. It is important to address the issue properly and thoroughly.

A report by the World Bank published last year predicted that 216 million people could be forced to migrate to other parts of their country by 2050 due to rising sea levels, water scarcity and declining crop productivity.

Farmers are producing 20 percent less food worldwide than they would if the environment was the same as it was in 1960s.

This year’s record heat in the UK caused a decline in yields for lettuce, onions, carrots, and potatoes.

While the government plans for the country to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, Baroness Manningham-Buller is sceptical this will be achieved.

She At the 2022 Henry Plumb Memorial lecture, it was stated that the world has become so polarized that it will be difficult to unite as necessary to achieve the targets.

Due to the record-breaking heat this year in the UK, lettuce and potatoes suffered from low yields. Pictured: After a July wildfire, scorched crops in Ripon (North Yorkshire).

People will migrate to the UK from their homelands when they are deemed ‘unhabitable’ by extreme weather. Pictured: People in Pakistan were made homeless by catastrophic floods earlier in the year.

In 2014, scientists warned how climate change could result in conflicts and wars breaking out As people age, the supply of food is decreasing and prices rise.

During her talk, Baroness Manningham-Buller said that the war in Ukraine demonstrates the importance of insulating Britain from shocks to the global food system.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, food prices have been escalating as supplies are squeezed, including grain and fertilisers. 

By the end of last month, nearly all bread and pasta items had risen in inflation by double digits in the UK, with some up by as much as 63.6 per cent.

Baroness Manningham Buller stated that food is a critical part of national security. She also mentioned the vital workers involved in growing and harvesting it, as well as the farmers who produce our fruits, vegetables, meats, and wines.

Globally, farmers are growing 20% less food than they would have if the environmental conditions were the same in the 1960s. Pictured: This is a farm vehicle driving through East Sussex’s flooded roads earlier this month.

“British farmers are facing immense pressure. We urgently need to develop a policy to help farmers who produce our food, such as the doubling of fertiliser costs, rising energy costs, shortages in seasonal workers, and concerns about trade deals.

We are at greater risk of global shocks if we do not pay more attention to food security.

“We should acknowledge that we must produce as much food as possible, and be able export what we can to the UK for growth and the feeding of the world.

Minette Batters, President of NFU, said: “As British farmers, we produce both climate-friendly foods and renewable energy. We want to provide more.

“For this to happen we need our government’s to honor the promises made by Prime Minister Rishi, to set a target for our country’s food security and have a statutory responsibility to report on our domestic food levels.