I previously 👇 documented 20 mechanisms through which climate change is 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 disrupting food production.
Below I am adding to the list including several newly documented mechanisms.
*thread*
Several primary impacts relate to altered soil & plant chemistry & biology:
1. Disruption of the phosphorous cycle - the second most vital element for plants after nitrogen
eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2…
2. Decreased content of key nutrients in major crops
sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/…
3. Reduced chill hours required for many plants to bloom normally in the spring
npr.org/sections/thesa…
Other additional primary impacts include:
4. Fossil fuel pollution impacts on crops - this is not a result of climate change per se, but is included since it is due to the same root cause (fossil fuel use):
5. Severe crop damage from wind storms - in this case, ~$7.5 Billion in damage from a single storm:
bit.ly/2V9Rbqz
6. Also wind (& heat) related - increasing prevalence of ‘furnace winds’.
-these are as bad as they sound - they can damage crops in a few short hours:
bit.ly/33FCCzJ
7. And another phenomenon that is an intensification of the existing- “flash droughts”
New secondary factors include:
1. Hoarding - even at the national/international scale - something we have disturbingly see with #COVIDー19.
Don't expect your neighbours and allies to come to the rescue:
bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
2. Farmer mental health taking a toll - in the U.S. (bit.ly/3fUDrtn) and internationally, in extreme cases leading to suicide (bit.ly/39uhXlw)
Most worryingly, we are now seeing a rapid increase in frequency of extreme weather, whereby farmers are being devastated by 2, 3 or sometimes more incidents in short succession. Recent examples:
a) South Korea hit by a succession of typhoons: bit.ly/33kW7Nt
b) In the US: flooding, drought and a derecho storm in Iowa
bit.ly/2V80pn0
c) in the UK - Farmers have experienced 'pretty much every weather extreme possible' over the past 12 months
bit.ly/2VdBEps
d) some Australian vineyards have faced "frost, flood, insect attack, bushfire & one of the worst droughts on record— all in the last 18 months"
ab.co/3mt5L8F
e) Central America hit by back-to-back hurricanes after being 'pounded by year-after-year of crop-destroying droughts' thoroughly devastating food-security. Throw COVID in, and:
“This is the worst year we have ever lived”
ca.reuters.com/article/topNew…
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