Extreme heat threatens global agriculture, impacting over a billion people
via Le Mauricien5 min read
Extreme heat events are pushing global agriculture to its limits, threatening the health and livelihoods of over a billion people, according to a report from the FAO and the World Meteorological Organization. This phenomenon, linked to human-induced climate change, already causes an annual loss of 500 billion hours of agricultural labor and jeopardizes global food security. Extreme heat refers to exceptionally high temperatures day and night, which are projected to double if global warming reaches +2°C above pre-industrial levels, and quadruple at +4°C. These events trigger cascading effects, including changes in humidity and solar radiation, torrential rains, and flash droughts. Kaveh Zahedi, Director of the Climate Change Office at the FAO, highlighted that extreme heat acts as a risk multiplier, citing an example from Brazil where prolonged heat and drought led to Amazon fires and river drying, impacting the entire food system. The report notes that no agricultural sector is immune. For livestock, extreme heat can cause digestive and cardiovascular issues, reduce milk production, and lower protein content. Fish can suffer heart failure in waters with reduced oxygen due to high temperatures; in 2024, 91% of the global ocean experienced at least one heatwave, with half classified as "strong." Crop yields for most plants begin to decline above 30°C, and even lower for potatoes and barley. Other risks include pollinator disappearance, diseases, and food shortages, exacerbated
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Mauricien.
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