Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Climate change will alter where many crops are grown

economist.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 188 posts

Re: Climate change will alter where many crops are grown

#21

Post by bobbytit »

unearth3d wrote: post #17
thepangolino wrote: post #5

Can we try altering the crops instead of the climate please?

It's already happening but to get a new crop cultivar to market, like a new wheat or a new apple, takes >20 years. Several aspects re climate change will neccessitate making plants grow better (nutritious, pest resistant etc) despite the high CO2 - CO2 was only beneficial to humans when it was below 300ppm.

The article admitted that there has been a worldwide greening effect from increased co2 levels. The vast majority of plants grow bigger and faster when co2 is between 600 and 1500 ppm.

Re: Climate change will alter where many crops are grown

#22

Post by 88840-8855 »

leipert wrote: post #19
yellow_lead wrote: post #2

I couldn't read the whole article, but this has already started with crops more sensitive to climate - namely grapes for wine.

This year German farmers grew watermelon for the first time (outside of a greenhouse)

We are growing watermelons for years in our garden in Germany.

And how does this fit to the fact that Germany has the coldest year for a long time?

edit: wtf are you downvoting? Dumb af, look up the figures.

Re: Climate change will alter where many crops are grown

#24

Post by yellow_lead »

SCUSKU wrote: post #4
yellow_lead wrote: post #2

I couldn't read the whole article, but this has already started with crops more sensitive to climate - namely grapes for wine.

Found about this plugin on HN a few days ago that can bypass paywalls, highly recommend! Should be able to read it with it installed. https://gitlab.com/magnolia1234/bypass-paywalls-firefox-clea...

Will give it a try. Thanks :)

Re: Climate change will alter where many crops are grown

#26

Post by qqqwerty »

arthurcolle wrote: post #8
LurkingPenguin wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. People have laughed but my vineyard in Sitka, Alaska will soon be producing world-class Cabs.

How much was the parcel if you don't mind sharing? I've had similar thoughts regarding Miami near-floodplain real estate - buying land that might hypothetically become the "new coast" based on projections for sea levels over the next 20, 30 years. Obviously a long shot in terms of ROI but I mean the apparent recent increase in hurricanes in those coastal areas in terms of both intensity and frequency is palpable...

I would avoid coastal communities. Wealthy beachfront owners will likely find a way to socialize their losses, either by getting taxpayers to fund coastal armoring or via direct bailouts. Alternatively there is the risk that property in those areas becomes uninsurable and by proxy unbankable. Hard to predict which way it goes, probably will depend on the individual community.

Probably better to buy cheap arable land somewhere in the north that is projected to get warmer and has access to lots of water.

Re: Climate change will alter where many crops are grown

#27

Post by TeMPOraL »

option wrote: post #13
grecy wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

15 years ago a friend in Canada planted many fruit trees that were known not to be able to handle the winters in that part of the country. Now he enjoys a ton of fruit you "can't grow" in that part of Canada.

we should adapt to climate change and use it to our advantage. This does not conflict with trying to slow it.

> This does not conflict with trying to slow it.

It can, though, so we need to be super careful. It's basic human social dynamics: once someone starts making money from mitigating a problem, they become invested in perpetuating (or even worsening) the problem.

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. But when your lemonade stand starts raking in serious cash, you suddenly want to make sure everyone is being given lemons, so you can buy them up and sell even more lemonade.

Re: Climate change will alter where many crops are grown

#30

Post by ClumsyPilot »

keewee7 wrote: post #25

Canada, Russia and China seem to be the big winners of climate change. It will be interesting how that changes geopolitical dynamics.

Siberia has just had the largest forest fires in recorded history anywhere on earth. Permafrost is meling causing sinkholes and collapse of building as the earth shifts. Swaths of forest are turning into swamos and releasing massive amount of CO2 in the process
Post reply on HN