The scientist who created the world’s first cloned sheep has warned future generations of Scots could suffer serious food shortages unless people accept windfarms as a “necessary evil”.
Professor Sir Ian Wilmut, the creator of the cloned sheep Dolly, said turbines were vital to reducing the carbon emissions blamed for global warming and an increase in flooding which is destroying food crops.
Sir Ian said the connection must be made between the record rainfall which swamped vast areas of the UK last year with the impact that increasing energy use is having on the planet’s climate.
Sir Ian, who chairs the Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine at Edinburgh University, says: “Powerful cases against windfarms have been raised several times, recently, both in Scotland nationally and in the Borders where I live. I am sure that ideally none of us would like to see either the area around Cairngorm or the Border hills adorned by these machines, but we have to consider the alternative.
“Looking back, 2012 may be the year that first showed many of us that climate change will affect all of us to a considerable extent.
“The effect of greenhouse gases is well understood as is the conclusion that we should do what we can to reduce their production.
“But we have great difficulty in making the necessary change in our way of life.
“I include myself in that criticism.”
Sir Ian said that getting energy from renewable sources, such as solar, wind and water power, produces no gas but may have environmental effects.
He added: “It is in this context that applications to create windfarms have to be considered.”