Jennifer Marohasy

a forum for the discussion of issues concerning the natural environment

Archives for April 10, 2007

Despite Climate Crisis, Surge in World Cereal Production

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For a long time now its been predicted that the world will run out of food. According to Jared Diamond and other doomsayers, we are mining our soils, depleting our water reserves and now, according to Al Gore, we also have a climate crisis.

The latest United Nation’s report on climate change** was, however, surprisingly upbeat for agriculture stating that:

“Crop productivity is projected to increase slightly at mid to high latitudes for local mean temperature increases of up to 1-3°C depending on the crop, and then decrease beyond that in some regions.

“At lower latitudes, especially seasonally dry and tropical regions, crop productivity is projected to decrease for even small local temperature increases (1-2°C), which would increase risk of hunger.

“Globally, the potential for food production is projected to increase with increases in local average
temperature over a range of 1-3°C, but above this it is projected to decrease.

“Adaptations such as altered cultivars and planting times allow low and mid- to high latitude cereal yields to be maintained at or above baseline yields for modest warming.

“Increases in the frequency of droughts and floods are projected to affect local production negatively, especially in subsistence sectors at low latitudes.”

Then yesterday I read at ABC Online that the United Nations predicts a surge in world cereal production:

“A United Nations food body is predicting world cereal production will increase by nearly 4.5 per cent this year, to a record 2 billion tonnes.

“The Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates the bulk of the increase will be in maize, with a bumper crop already being gathered in South America and US plantings up sharply.

“It is also forecasting wheat production will rise 5 per cent to 626 million tonnes.”

Even in Australia, with this terrible drought, I’ve been told the prediction is for a record, or near record, wheat harvest this season.

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** Working Group II Contribution to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report
Climate Change 2007: Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability Summary for Policymakers
http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM6avr07.pdf

Government Will Legislate to Store Greenhouse Gases?

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I can’t image anyone complaining about having carbon dioxide stored under their house, but in an article entitled ‘Carbon storage won’t be optional’ Matthew Warren, writing for The Australian, begins with the emotive statement that:

“Australian may be stripped of their right to block the storage of greenhouse gases beneath their land under laws being considered by the state and federal governments.

“The capture of millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from power stations and their storage in giant underground reservoirs, a process known as geosequestration, have been backed by the Howard Government and Labor as major steps in helping Australia and other nations to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.
Experts claim the technology could be commercially viable in Australia by 2015.

“A geosequestration law expert has warned that if proven viable, the new technology will need new laws based on oil and gas exploration and extraction that override landowners’ rights to veto storage underneath their properties.”

Read the complete article here: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21530480-2702,00.html

I’d be happy to have the carbon dioxide stored under my place and I’ld be happy if they build a nuclear power plant in the neighbourhood and I’m hanging-out to drink recycled water.