Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Researchers examine global implications of climate change, trade

  • freeimages.com
    Two new studies look at the global implications of climate change and trade.
    From WATTAgNet:
    Two new studies look at the global implications of climate change and trade.
    In one study, Kansas State University researchers found that at least one-quarter of the world’s wheat production will be lost to extreme weather from climate change if no adaptive measures are taken.
    The study found that wheat yields are projected to decrease by 6 percent for each degree Celsius the temperature rises if no measures to adapt to extreme weather fluctuations are taken. Based on the 2012-2013 wheat harvest of 701 million tons worldwide, the resulting temperature increase would result in 42 million tons less produced wheat — or a loss of nearly one-quarter of the current wheat production.
    In another study, conducted by DTB Associates in Washington, it was found that several influential countries are not complying with the domestic agricultural support commitments they made as part of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The study, an update of a similar one conducted in 2011, shows that India, China Turkey, Brazil and Thailand have dramatically increased trade distorting subsidies for wheat, corn or rice production over the past ten years to levels that exceed their WTO agreements — in most cases by large margins.
    Member countries are required to report their domestic support levels to WTO regularly, but more than 650 notifications were late as of November 2014.

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