Climate change: danger to global food production is growing!

Climate change: danger to global food production is growing!

Ongoing global warming is having serious impacts on global agriculture, as a new study by climate physicist Victoria Dietz from the Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability at the University of Hamburg shows. The research, which evaluated multiple climate simulations, shows that the likelihood of extreme weather events, particularly simultaneous periods of heat and drought, increases significantly as temperatures rise. This primarily affects central corn growing areas and could endanger food security worldwide.

The analysis reveals that even with global warming of two degrees Celsius, the probability of extreme weather scenarios in East and South Asia increases significantly: in East Asia the probability triples, while in South Asia it doubles. The negative consequences are significant as they not only cause plant stress, but also pose immense challenges for farmers, supply chains and markets.

More frequent and catastrophic harvest failures

In further studies, climate researchers warn of the increasing risk of catastrophic harvest failures caused by droughts and heat waves. Loud science.orf.at Global food production could be severely endangered. Regions such as North America, Western Europe and Ukraine, which together account for up to 25 percent of global food production, are particularly affected. A pattern in the jet stream amplifies these weather extremes by transporting polar and tropical air into temperate zones.

The study in the journal “Nature Climate Change” looks at the risk of climate-related crop failures in important wheat, corn and soy growing areas. The regions analyzed, including the United States, Argentina and Europe, account for a staggering 56 percent of global wheat and corn needs. In the last 50 years in particular, the risk of crop failure has increased, which is a worrying trend.

Global impacts and adaptation strategies

The impacts of climate change are extensive and affect almost all aspects of agriculture. das-wissen.de highlights that increased temperatures and changing rainfall patterns shorten the growing seasons of many crops, increasing the risk of drought and heat stress. Extreme weather events such as floods threaten agricultural operations and cause long-term damage to soil fertility.

Food security challenges require different adaptation strategies. These include breeding climate-resistant plants, efficient water management and promoting agrobiodiversity. Policy measures that include training and financial support for affected agricultural communities are also crucial to promote more resilient agriculture.

The joint implementation of these measures by governments, research institutions and NGOs is essential to ensure global food security for future generations. The urgency of keeping the global temperature below two degrees Celsius is strongly underlined by the results of this research. This is the only way to minimize the risk of extreme crop failures and the associated threats to global food production.