Tuscan parched landscape sun-baked soil in Val D'Orcia, Tuscany, Italy

Undulating hills by San Quirico d'Orcia, in the Val D'Orcia area of Tuscany, Italy

Man picking Sangiovese Chianti Classico grapes at Pontignano in Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy

Grove of cypress trees in landscape by San Quirico D'Orcia in Val D'Orcia, Tuscany, Italy

Man picking Sangiovese Chianti Classico grapes at Pontignano in Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy

Typical Tuscan parched landscape near Pienza in Val D'Orcia, Tuscany, Italy

Typical Tuscan homestead, Il Cipressi, and landscape near Pienza in Val D'Orcia, Tuscany, Italy

Man emptying Sangiovese Chianti Classico grapes into vat at Pontignano in Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy

English onions vegetables, alliums, growing in kitchen garden, Sussex

Farmer uses a buffalo to pull plough through a crop field near Fuli, Xingping, China

Tractor ploughing field in Oxfordshire, The Cotswolds, United Kingdom

Tractor ploughing field in Oxfordshire, The Cotswolds, United Kingdom

Earth of ploughed field, Wyck Rissington, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom

Gardeners chat beside their allotments, Chadlington, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

Tractor ploughing field in Oxfordshire, The Cotswolds, United Kingdom

Sycamore Ficus (Fig) tree with buttress roots adapted for shallow soil, Jozani Forest, Zanzibar

Vineyards in the Shabo winery, Black Sea, Ukraine, Europe

Devil's Marbles, the result of spheroidal weathering of strong granite beneath an ancient soil, Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, Australia, Pacific

Himba woman, Sesriem, Kaokoveld, Namibia, Africa

Archaeologists at work Mayan ruins, Chichen Itza, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Yucatan, Mexico, North America

Undulating hills by San Quirico d'Orcia, in the Val D'Orcia area of Tuscany, Italy

Vine cultivation, La Geria region, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain, Europe

Undulating hills by San Quirico d'Orcia, in the Val D'Orcia area of Tuscany, Italy

Red Centre viewed from aeroplane showing clouds and red earth over central Australia

Olive grove near Murlo inTuscany, Italy

Rows of vines in vineyard, growing in sandy soil, with Dead Sea and Jordan in background, Dead Sea, Israel, Middle East

Olive grove near Murlo inTuscany, Italy

Harvesting agave for tequila, Tequila, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jalisco, Mexico, North America

Olive trees at Pontignanello in Chianti, Tuscany, Italy

Earth of ploughed field, Wyck Rissington, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom

Erosion, Turmi, Ethiopia, Africa

Ripe Cabernet Franc grapes on ancient vine in sandy soil at Chateau Cheval Blanc in St Emilion in the Bordeaux region of France

Dried earth and potato crops, Holkham, Norfolk, United Kingdom

Farmer working in bare field, with flood irrigation, village of Borunda, Rajasthan state, India, Asia

Close-up of rock, ochre earth and prickly pear cactus, Santorini (Thira), Cyclades Islands, Greek Islands, Greece, Europe

Keen of Hamar National Nature Reserve, an important botanical reserve where the soil contains toxic metals, Unst, Shetland Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe

Vegetation gowing well in the fertile soil of the volcanic caldera, Fogo (Fire), Cape Verde Islands, Africa

Fields between Llanarmon and Llanrhaeadr, Denbighshire, Wales, United Kingdom, Europe

Cracked dried up soil, Ethiopia, Africa

Acacia trees on red soils, near Goba, Southern Highlands, Ethiopia, Africa

Backlit view of watermelon growing in sandy soil under plastic sheeting, Qumran, Dead Sea area, Israel, Middle East

The 12th century Cistercian Dundrennan Abbey, founded by David 1st, where Mary Queen of Scots spent her last night on Scottish soil, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe

The 12th century Cistercian Dundrennan Abbey, founded by David 1st, where Mary Queen of Scots spent her last night on Scottish soil, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe

Gabbra tribe, keny

Looking down on deforested forest slopes from the air, being replaced by farmland for subsistence agriculture in Malawi. The country is suffering rapid deforestation, to provide both land for farming, and for making charcoal, the main cooking fuel in Malawi.

Wheat stubble in a field on Yorkshire's East Coast, UK, with high voltage power lines from a coal fired power station.

A farmer harvesting wheat on a farm near Barmston, East Coast, Yorkshire, UK.

A farmer harvesting wheat on a farm near Barmston, East Coast, Yorkshire, UK.

In mid January 2015, a three day period of excessive rain brought unprecedented floods to the small poor African country of Malawi. It displaced nearly quarter of a million people, devastated 64,000 hectares of land, and killed several hundred people. This shot shows tree roots exposed as the river bank was washed away near Chikwawa.

In mid January 2015, a three day period of excessive rain brought unprecedneted floods to the small poor African country of Malawi. It displaced nearly quarter of a million people, devastated 64,000 hectares of alnd, and killed several hundred people. This shot shows a food being ferried across a river near Phalombe after the bridge was washed away.

A dirt track to Phalombe below Mount Mulanje in Malawi, Africa, with a woman on a bike.

A farmstead on the zomba plateau which has been heavily deforested to provide a rapidly increasing population with land.

Soil overburden being removed to reach the tar sands beds in an open pit tar sands mine north of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, North America

Soil overburden being removed to reach the tar sands beds in an open pit tar sands mine north of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, North America

Zambia farmer ploughing field, shangombo

Lettuces growing at Growing with Grace, an organic fruit and vegetable growing co-operative based in Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Zambia black velvet beans, improves soil fertility & edible if prepared

Zambia man using the mugoye ripper (an alternative to the plough) which has less destructive impact on the soil. Near lusaka

A dried up river bed in the Anti Atlas mountains of Morocco, North Africa, Africa

A dried up river bed in the Anti Atlas mountains of Morocco, North Africa, Africa

Zambia rita hamusokwe (58), farmer of chikwela village, chongwe, holding a hoe for cultivating her field

Zambia sun hemp (black), soil fertilizer & green manure

Zambia jack beans, soil fertilizer and base for paint making

Constructions and soil erosion. Balikpapan Bay, East Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Dead and dying Almond trees in Almond groves in Wasco in the Central Valley of California after the irrigation water ran out following the four year long drought in the Western USA. 80% of the world's almonds are grown in California, and it takes 1.1 gallons of water to grow each nut. Many farms have run out of water, and $2.2 Billion has been wiped off the agricultue sector annually. Currently one third of all children in California go to be hungry, as a direct result of job losses connected to the drought. 428,000 acres of farmland have been taken out of production as a result of the drought, in the Central Valley.

Almond groves being chopped down as there is no longer water available to irrigate them, in Wasco in the Central Valley of California following the four year long drought in the Western USA. 80% of the world's almonds are grown in California, and it takes 1.1 gallons of water to grow each nut. Many farms have run out of water, and $2.2 Billion has been wiped off the agricultue sector annually. Currently one third of all children in California go to be hungry, as a direct result of job losses connected to the drought. 428,000 acres of farmland have been taken out of production as a result of the drought, in the Central Valley.

Almond groves being chopped down as there is no longer water available to irrigate them, in Wasco in the Central Valley of California following the four year long drought in the Western USA. 80% of the world's almonds are grown in California, and it takes 1.1 gallons of water to grow each nut. Many farms have run out of water, and $2.2 Billion has been wiped off the agricultue sector annually. Currently one third of all children in California go to be hungry, as a direct result of job losses connected to the drought. 428,000 acres of farmland have been taken out of production as a result of the drought, in the Central Valley.

Almond groves in Wasco in the Central Valley of California that are vulnerable following the four year long drought in the Western USA. 80% of the world's almonds are grown in California, and it takes 1.1 gallons of water to grow each nut. Many farms have run out of water, and $2.2 Billion has been wiped off the agricultue sector annually. Currently one third of all children in California go to be hungry, as a direct result of job losses connected to the drought. 428,000 acres of farmland have been taken out of production as a result of the drought, in the Central Valley.

Almod trees being irrigated in California's Central Valley, which is in the grip of a four year long drought. The catastrophic drought means that no crops will grow without increasingly scarce irrigation water. Many areas of farmland have been abandoned due to the drought. 80% of the world's almonds grow in California, each Almond takes 1 gallon of water to produce, water that is increasingly unavailable.

Almond groves being chopped down as there is no longer water available to irrigate them, in Wasco in the Central Valley of California following the four year long drought in the Western USA. 80% of the world's almonds are grown in California, and it takes 1.1 gallons of water to grow each nut. Many farms have run out of water, and $2.2 Billion has been wiped off the agricultue sector annually. Currently one third of all children in California go to be hungry, as a direct result of job losses connected to the drought. 428,000 acres of farmland have been taken out of production as a result of the drought, in the Central Valley.

The Muni Seva Ashram in Goraj, near Vadodara, India, is a tranquil haven of humanitarian care. The Ashram is hugely sustainable, next year it will be completely carbon neutral. Its first solar panels were installed in 1984, long before climate change was on anyones agenda. Their energy is provided from solar panels, and wood grown on the estate. Waste food and animal manure is turned inot biogas to run the estates cars and also used for cooking. Solar cookers are also used, and the air conditioning for the hospital is solar run. 70 % of the food used is grown on the estate. They provide an orphanage, schools for all ages, vocational training, care for the elderly, a specialist cancer hospital withstate of the art machinary, and even have a solar crematorium. This shot shows a woman planting trees for onward growth in the Ashrams forests.

Repairing damage caused to the coastal sea defences in Blakeney, Norfolk by the December 2013 storm surge.

Peat Hags on king bank head above Biggar in the Southern Uplands of Scotland, UK. These peat covered moorland hills are an important carbon sink.

Peat-free compost at Growing with Grace, an organic fruit and vegetable growing co-operative based in Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

A dried up river bed in the Anti Atlas mountains of Morocco, North Africa, Africa

Zambia rita hamusokwe (58), farmer of chikwela village, chongwe, cultivating her field

Subsistence farming in the Annapurna Himalayas in Nepal, Asia

Zambia green velvet beans, help promote soil fertility & edible if prepared

A crop covered in rows of plastic sheeting in a field on the Furnes peninsular, South Cumbria, UK.

Growing with Grace, an organic fruit and vegetable growing co-operative based in Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Organic compost heap at Growing with Grace, an organic fruit and vegetable growing co-operative based in Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Soil overburden being removed to reach the tar sands beds in an open pit tar sands mine north of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, North America

Riddling organic compost at Growing with Grace, an organic fruit and vegetable growing co-operative based in Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

A dried up river bed in the Anti Atlas mountains of Morocco, North Africa, Africa

A crop covered in rows of plastic sheeting in a field on the Furnes peninsular, South Cumbria, UK.

Example of farming activity in the area of hanamerant, meket, ethiopia.The Farmers have to fight against the lack of rain and erosion of the soil. They produce 1 crop a year wich sustain food a couple of months only

Frost patterns in soil on the Lancashire Fylde coast near Southport, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Soil erosion in the vicnity of Loskop in the central Drakensberg in South Africa's Kwazulu-Natal province.

Cabbages and onions growing at Growing with Grace, an organic fruit and vegetable growing co-operative based in Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Soil erosion in the vicnity of Loskop in the central Drakensberg in South Africa's Kwazulu-Natal province.

Lettuces growing at Growing with Grace, an organic fruit and vegetable growing co-operative based in Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Cracked earth, namibia. Namib desert, dead vlei. Cracks in parched sand

Newly ploughed field and cypress tree, Siena province, Tuscany, Italy, Europe

Soil overburden being removed to get at the tar sands below, in a mine north of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, North America

Soil overburden being removed to reach the tar sands beds in an open pit tar sands mine north of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, North America

Barley growing near a Berber village in the Anti Atlas mountains of Morocco, North Africa, Africa

Growing with Grace, an organic fruit and vegetable growing co-operative based in Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

A single green plant growing from bare ploughed soil

Soil overburden being removed to get at the tar sands below, in a mine north of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, North America

Barley growing near a Berber village in the Anti Atlas mountains of Morocco, North Africa, Africa