Climate change projected to threaten food crop production
A new analysis forecasts that rising global temperatures will devastate food crop production in the United States.
According to a new study published in Nature, global warming driven by burning fossil fuels could reduce yields by 40% to 50% for all staple crops except rice in the U.S.
Scientists analyzed six crops — maize, soybeans, rice, wheat, cassava, and sorghum — that provide more than two-thirds of humanity’s calories. The study’s findings reveal that global warming reduces food production, which will increase food prices and make food less accessible.
A CNN article cites Feinstein Research Director Erin Coughlan de Perez on the implications of the study.
Coughlan de Perez, who was not involved in the research, notes that changing crops, changing planting dates, or moving the locations of crop production can offset climate impacts.
