New projection shows global food demand doubling by 2050

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www1.umn.edu/news/news-releases/2011/UR_CONTENT_363946.html

New projection shows global food demand doubling by 2050

Increasing yield in poor countries could lower environmental impact

Contacts: Jeff Falk, University News Service, [e-mail], [phone]
Peggy Rinard, College of Biological Sciences, [e-mail], [phone]

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (11/21/2011) —Global food demand could double by 2050, according to a new projection by David Tilman, Regents Professor of Ecology in the University of Minnesota’s College of Biological Sciences, and colleagues, including Jason Hill, assistant professor in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences.

Producing that amount of food could significantly increase levels of carbon dioxide and nitrogen in the environment and cause the extinction of numerous species. But this can be avoided, the paper shows, if the high-yielding technologies of rich nations are adapted to work in poor nations, and if all nations use nitrogen fertilizers more efficiently.

“Agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions could double by 2050 if current trends in global food production continue,” Tilman said. “Global agriculture already accounts for a third of all greenhouse gas emissions.” Much of these emissions come from land clearing, which also threatens species with extinction.

The article shows that if poor nations continue current practices, they will clear a land area larger than the United States (two and a half billion acres) by 2050. But if richer nations help poorer nations improve yields to achievable levels, that could be reduced to half a billion acres.


…

http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1116437108

[BeHereNow]

1. Birth control and abortion BAD. Starvation, GOOD!

What a dumb fucking species we are.
We deserve what ever comes our way IMO.
BHN

[BeHereNow]

2. K&R, btw. n/t

bhn

[kestrel91316]

3. This isn't going to end well.

[BeHereNow]

4. No it is not going to end well at all.

Just read the GD thread about the FUBAR-shima in Japan.
Probably not going to sleep tonight. Again.
Spider, my black panther pretending to be a house cat says, "hello."
And thanks.

BHN

[kestrel91316]

5. (waving hi)

[AlecBGreen]

6. They think we need another green revolution it seems

But this can be avoided, the paper shows, if the high-yielding technologies of rich nations are adapted to work in poor nations, and if all nations use nitrogen fertilizers more efficiently.

...

But if richer nations help poorer nations improve yields to achievable levels, that could be reduced to half a billion acres

More combines! More irrigation! More fertilizer & herbicides! More GMO crops! Rah rah yay!

We already lose up to HALF of all food to spoilage and waste. We need smarter distribution and less toxic chemicals. Eating less meat would help a lot too. There are many ways to increase food security without continuing the short-sighted agricultural practices of the last 50 years.

[Nihil]

7. Not so much of the "green", just the "revolution" in attitudes ...

... so that shit like this ...

> We already lose up to HALF of all food to spoilage and waste. We need smarter
> distribution and less toxic chemicals. Eating less meat would help a lot too.
> There are many ways to increase food security without continuing the short-sighted
> agricultural practices of the last 50 years.

... can be stamped out.

[AlecBGreen]

8. I agree

Every time I go to the grocery store and look at the fresh produce, meat and fish, I wonder, how much is eaten and how much is tossed? Im betting, especially for the seafood and much of the butcher-case meat, its more than 50%