THE TASTE OF CLIMATE CHANGE

...foods you're about to lose due to climate change; As worsening drought and extreme weather devastate crops, you may begin seeing global warming when you open your fridge

Twilight Greenaway, 29 October 2014 (UK Guardian)

"What does climate change taste like? …[M]any food production systems are becoming threatened. As that trend increases, it’s worth asking which foods consumers will have to cut back on – or abandon entirely…[A]dding more and more CO2 doesn’t help…[T]he availability of water, the increasing occurrence of high and low temperature swings and the impact of stress on plant health…may outweigh the benefits…[Y]ield data from corn and wheat production suggests that these two staples are already being negatively affected…[F]ruit and nuts are also showing the impact…[Reduced yields] lead to more frequent price spikes in many foods…Higher-than-average temperatures and shifting weather patterns in the tropics have made “coffee rust” fungus and invasive species the new norm on coffee plantations…[C]acao beans – the raw ingredient in chocolate – will become much less plentiful over the next few decades…[Ocean acidification] could threaten a whole range of edible ocean creatures…Wetter winters and drier summers are putting more stress on [maple syrup from] sugar maples…[H]igher temperatures affect flowering and seed production in bean vines, reducing yields by as much as 25%...In 2012, the Michigan cherry industry lost 90% of its tart cherry crop after a late freeze…Thanks to warmer temperatures [73% of Australia’s land could be unsuitable for growing wine grapes by 2050 and California’s loss is nearly 70%]…” click here for more

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