Just one degree of global warming could cut wheat yields by 42 million tonnes worldwide, around 6% of the crop, writes Paul Brown - causing devastating shortages of this staple food.
Market shortages would cause price rises. Many developing countries, and the hungry poor within them, would not be able to afford wheat or bread.
Just one degree of global warming could cut wheat yields by 42 million tonnes worldwide, around 6% of the crop, writes Paul Brown - causing devastating shortages of this staple food.
Market shortages would cause price rises. Many developing countries, and the hungry poor within them, would not be able to afford wheat or bread.
Climate change threatens dramatic price fluctuations in the price of wheat and potential civil unrest because yields of one of the world's most important staple foods are badly affected by temperature rise.
An international consortium of scientists have been testing wheat crops in laboratory and field trials in many areas of the world in changing climate conditions and discovered that yields drop on average by 6% for every one degree Celsius rise in temperature.
This represents 42 million tonnes of wheat lost - about a quarter of the current global wheat trade - for every degree. This would create serious shortages and cause price hikes of the kind that have previously caused food riots in developing countries after only one bad harvest.
Wheat field image via Shutterstock.
Read more at ENN Affiliate, The Ecologist.
