South Uist road. Scotland's increasingly wet weather is resulting in damage to roads on South Uist. BBC

By Fiona Walker When you talk to people in South Uist about climate change, many already know what may be in store for them. They really live the weather, noting down its changes and understanding its impact upon their lives. Where Seumas MacDonald grew up he says people used to plough land that’s now under water. He said: “We probably lost about 20 to 30 yards along the coast. I was born and brought up here and I’d like to see it remaining. I’m really worried about it because this is all that’s holding back the Atlantic.” In 2005 a storm took the lives of five members of the same family. The tragedy is one of the first things local people mention when you bring up climate change. He said: “I was up to my knees in water at the boat-shed, the trees were whipping about like a field of barley with the most incredible screeching sound from the trees. We’ve never seen anything like it and we don’t want to see it again.” But wetter winters are on their way and scientists say the sea level is rising. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has calculated the projected sea level rise around South Uist for BBC Scotland. It reports that by 2080 it’s likely to have risen by 37cm. However, it could be as much 61cm. Dr Dave Reay, from Edinburgh University, says that is a conservative estimate. …

Island braced for winds of change