This summer, the effects of
climate change have been hard to
miss.
Record heat, wildfires, warming
oceans.
There are other, less obvious
consequences -- warmer weather
and changes in precipitation
affect both the oddity and
quality of food crops.
Earlier I spoke with a scientist
at Columbia university and the
nasa Goddard institute for space
studies.
I asked him to explain the
relationship between climate
change and the global food
supply.
>> If you are asking for the
main drivers that really affect
both in the yield, it is maybe
three aspects -- temperature,
precipitation, and something
this much less known, carbon
dioxide, CO2 in the air.
They create extreme events such
as droughts, heat waves, hail,
flooding is a big problem.
But the CO2 effect that creates
climate change, tops love it.
-- Crops love it.
At the same time, it creates
adverse effects in the climate.
This this effect all caps the
same?
Good question.
Some crops are sensitive to the
CO2 effect.
Others are not.
Corn, maize does not really
benefit from higher CO2 levels.
The shifting precipitation
patterns are felt in maize
production.
Glibly aggregated, corn is
seeing the largest negative
impact.
John: For there are winners and
losers in terms of crops?
>> That is a message we need to
get comfortable with our karmic
change is not just a negative
blanket of adverse effects, but
we want to be really careful.
Because potential gains are
difficult to realize.
And what is important is to
think of the regions where they
could happen at low latitudes,
we are generally speaking of
lower income countries that have
less capacity to adapt.
Larger negative impacts will
directly impact the hoods and
food systems.
Whereas in developed bread
basket regions in the global
north, there is more adaptation
capacity that can buffer some of
these negative impacts.
John: And this can also affect
the nutritional value of ops,
right?
>> Correct.
When I say CO2 is beneficial for
plant growth, at the same time,
it dilutes the nutritional
content of crops.
It moderates any gains you may
see from higher CO2 levels and
the nutritional quality -- think
protein content, macronutrients
such as zinc and vitamins and
iron -- these components are not
produced by the cop at the same
pace they are going.
It is a dilution effect.
It lowers the nutritional
quality of the crop, which
raises concerns for global
nutrition.
John: Tell us the practical
effects of all of what you just
explained in terms of people's
diets, in terms of food
insecurity in places that are
already experiencing food
insecurity.
What are the practical effects
of all of this?
>> Agriculture is facing a new
climatic reality.
It has to undergo a fundamental
transformation.
There will be winners and
losers.
Some regions may potentially
benefit from moderate warming at
higher levels.
The best majority of global
bread baskets Lucy adverse
impact -- will see adverse
impacts.
There needs to be a proactive
adaptation implementation.
That is the key to making global
food systems sustainable.
And climate resilient.
John: Adaptation, what needs to
be adapted?
>> Things such as if it is
warmer, go out earlier.
That is already happening.
You have to think of new
varieties.
And that is a challenge for
breeders.
To develop new varieties that
are adapted to these new
realities, that explained a
warmer environment.
But it is unclear.
At the forefront of research how
far can that go?
Then later, you can switch to
new crops in regions where you
say is not viable to grow corn
anymore, we as consumers a big
role.
First, we choose what we are
eating good we can make a whole
contribution to the global
sustainability of the food
system by requesting more
sustainable foods.
For example, the animal-based
contribution to your diet makes
a big contribution.
John: I you.
-- Thank you.