The world’s most productive agricultural regions face the greatest losses from climate change, with major farming areas in wealthy nations potentially losing as much as 40% of their maize and wheat production this century, a comprehensive new study has found.

In their analysis of more than 12,000 regions across 55 countries, a team of researchers from top U.S. and international institutions found that for every 1°C increase in global temperature, global food production could decline by approximately 120 calories per person per day—equivalent to 4.4% of current daily consumption.

The study, published in Nature, reveals that even when so-called climate adaptation strategies are undertaken, “breadbasket” regions are particularly vulnerable, and will face substantial reductions in the production of most key food crops, presenting a concerning outlook for global food security.

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[–] 5 points 1 year ago (1 child)

Indeed, it's to be expected, that the climatic regions best-suited to such agriculture will move, generally polewards. So there may be potentially new 'breadbaskets' - but mainly in Russia and Canada, if growing season starts earlier. But 40% of whea and maize, is not 40% of food - there are other (new) crops, and we could also adapt diets, maybe we don't need so much wheat and maize (leading anyway to obesity?). In the tropics it all depends on water management, need to store more.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    . So there may be potentially new 'breadbaskets' - but mainly in Russia and Canada, if growing season starts earlier.

    Not in Canada at least. As Professor Richard Alley explained on a YT lecture some years ago, the last ice age glaciers took lots of the soil from Canada and deposited it in the US, its why parts of tue US are a breadbasket.

    You can not replace the vast agsriultral areas of the.US with the Tundra of Canada. I have no idea about Russia but one hypothesis for Putin's invasion of Ukraine was to sercure agricultural land for Russia.. Ukraine has some of the most fertile soils on the planet.

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    [–] 1 point 1 year ago

    I guess we'll have to figure out a way to not waste so much of it.

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  • [–] 25 points 1 year ago

    Ah... so 40% is a terrifying number. That is a lot of dead people.

    One of the commonalities that sticks out in the Fall of Civilizations podcast is the collapse of food production.

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  • [–] 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    What a nightmare.

    Human population is expected to be 10 billion at end of century. Famine at that scale always leads to more trouble than just starvation.

    I hope the new solent green has more billionaire in it.

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  • [–] 9 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    You think the rich know and that's why they're trying to come trying to control us more recently?

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  • [–] 10 points 1 year ago

    You should never confuse rich people with good planners. The ultra wealthy exists because they're greedy to the point of stupidity. Rapaciousness. They want more right now no matter the consequences. They can, will, and are grasping for as much as they can to the point it'll exterminate our species.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    Dont worry guys. We will be fine. Its those people that will have to stop eating. Doesnt concern us.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    The climate change diet, the most effective way to lose weight!

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  • [–] 9 points 1 year ago (4 children)

    That would be no problem, if we would reduce the meat and dairy consumption drastically. We could live with even less productivity, if vegetable based diet would be the norm.

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  • [–] 17 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    I have a bad feeling that the temperature will continue to rise, and food production continues to decline. Even if we can survive the first few steps, the next ones will be even harder. Chances are, poor people will simply starve to death, while rich people will continue to enjoy their meat and chocolate.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    No. Conflict over who gets the last of the meat and chocolate will do them in too. Why do you think Russia wants Ukraine so bad? Why is everyone gearing up militarily?

    This is why.

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  • Americans will still be fat with those numbers.

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  • [–] 0 points 1 year ago

    That shouldn't be a problem in the US as people eat way WAY too much and throw away even more

    Have people start taking more care with their food

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    [–] [S] 4 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    If anyone has the time to find the referenced papers, please post them here.

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