Environment: Content from Across the ABC


Date/Time 20 Sep 2014 12:01:51am
"Winners and losers" ... ?
Well that might be - but the point is a LOT more LOSERS.
Yes, "dryer" is often a loss if you're a farmer, but "wetter" is NOT often a win either. Wetter means more mould on wheat crop seed heads (for example) rendering the crop almost useless, water logged soil, less sun, so less growth. A myriad a factors. Bogged roads to transport crops, etc.

Also, increased levels of CO2 will NOT "promote crop growth throughout the world". It does in simple experiments, but is now well known that factors (nutrients, water etc) limit the speed of growth. Also the changing climate from the extra CO2 will have greater NEGATIVE effects on many crops (see above) - not enough rain, too much rain than what the local farmers have been used to and optimised for. Also floods, fires a bit more often. This (unfortunately) outweighs any of the positives from CO2 induced better growth.
See: www.skepticalscience.com/co2-plant-food.htm