Global warming a cause of rising food prices

[ck4829]

Global warming has already harmed the world's food production and has driven up food prices by as much as 20% over recent decades, new research has revealed.

The drop in the productivity of crop plants around the world was not caused by changes in rainfall but was because higher temperatures can cause dehydration, prevent pollination and lead to slowed photosynthesis.

Lester Brown, president of the Earth Policy Institute, Washington DC, said the findings indicate a turning point: "Agriculture as it exists today evolved over 11,000 years of reasonably stable climate, but that climate system is no more." Adaptation is difficult because our knowledge of the future is not strong enough to drive new investments, he said, "so we just keep going, hoping for the best."

The scientists say their work shows how crucial it is to find ways to adapt farming to a warmer world, to ensure that rises in global population are matched by rising food production. "It is vital," said Wolfram Schlenker, at Columbia University in New York and one of the research team. "If we continue to have the same seed varieties and temperatures continue to rise, then food prices will rise further. (Addressing) that is the big question."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/may/05/food-prices-global-warming

This was something that Albert Einstein worked on and it just came before this study on food prices. As temperature keeps rising, it will eventually come to a point where plants don't up their levels of how they take in more carbon dioxide, thus stunting their respiration (And for us, their nutritional value).

[notesdev]

1. Here's an example of global warming leading to rising food prices

Global warming hysteria -> "Do something!" -> 1 billion gallons of subsidized, energy-negative ethanol production eats up a third of the agricultural area in the USA -> less food produced as a result -> higher food prices

I for one have had enough of ivory tower "could happen" "may happen" frauds causing the very problems they claim to know how to prevent.

[ck4829]

2. That's why the inedible parts of plants should be used instead

It would be nice if we really could still say "could happen", but it is happening now.

[SpiralHawk]

5. I, also, am sick of RepubliCorp propaganda lies about the climate

Freaking Republicon corporations pay no freaking taxes, then use the Huge SlushPiles of money they get from their Corporate Socialism (R) Tax Breaks (R) to fund Republicon propaganda pimps like Limbaugh, Hannity and O'Reilly to LIE about the climate...

How twisted is that...?

[dembotoz]

3. not surprised

and yet we keep turning prime farm land into suburbs.

wacky weather = wacky crops

[Bragi]

4. I'm confident the worst will happen

Since there is no possible way for the U.S political system to address anything as serious and long-term as climate change, I am confident that nothing substantial will be done to stop the catastrophe that is looming.

Crop failures, famines, wars for food and survival, mass migrations are all in our future, but no U.S. politicians can or will address these problems because doing so would require reduced income flows to the global investor class, and lifestyle changes and sacrifices throughout society.

This being the case, I'm thinking the smart thing to do right now is to join with those pretending this isn't happening and who are just getting on with getting on.