Oil versus food
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found that even attaining a global warming rise of 2 degrees Celsius, a goal that many authorities tended to view as their target, could be highly dangerous. Their models predicted disruption of the major ocean currents, growing loss of the ice shelves, in creasingly powerful storms, and a sea level rise of several feet in the next 50 years—which could lead to major coastal cities around the world becoming flooded.
“We’re in danger of handing young people a situa tion that’s out of their control,” said Hansen.
The effects of climate change are already being felt. Warming and rapidly acidifying oceans (due to their absorption of CO2) have caused a stunning drop in the number of plankton—the foundation of the food 12 SOCIALIST ACTION APRIL 2016 Food scarcity and malnutrition, exacerbated by climate change, could result in a half a million ex tra deaths by 2050.
Research published in the medical journal The Lancet in early March indicates that fewer fruits and vegetables would be available due to climate change, and that would increase rates of heart dis ease, stroke, and cancer. Three-quarters of the pro jected extra deaths would be in China and India.
Unless action is taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, fruit and vegetables available to people in 2050 will shrink by 4 per cent, the calories avail able by 3 per cent, and the red and processed meat by 0.7 per cent.
The 500,000 deaths figure by 2050 is a middle of the road scenario compared with a world without climate change, the study says.
Climate change has already been called the big gest global health crisis of our times because of floods, droughts, and increased risk of infectious diseases.
Experts warn that changes to diet beyond 2050 could be even greater. — B.W.