Global Warming Could Boost Crop Yields A leading atmospheric physicist asserts that global warming, rather than endangering food production as climate change alarmists say, will likely increase production instead.
“The latest catastrophic forecast comes to us from climate alarmists who focus on a world food crisis, supposedly as a consequence of global warming,” says S. Fred Singer, a professor emeritus of environmental science at the University of Virginia and former founding director of the U.S. Weather Satellite Service.
“While there may well arise problems about world food, it is more likely that global warming — if it does take place — will increase food production rather than lower it.”
Singer cites three reasons.
First, the main cause of lowered crop yields is the loss of soil moisture, but any increase in global temperature will also increase evaporation from the oceans and raise global precipitation.
“Global warming is a perfect recipe for creating more fresh water, which according to the alarmists is badly needed,” Singer, now a research fellow at the Independent Institute, writes for its website American Thinker.
Second, warmer temperatures will affect higher latitudes, where climate tends to be more severe, more than the tropics.
“So it may be that Canada and Siberia will see increases in crop production because of longer growing seasons, warmer growing temperatures, and fewer frosts — but there will be little change at lower latitudes,” Singer says.
Third, the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels, which alarmists say is the cause of global warming, will be good for plant growth.
“CO2 is plant food and a natural fertilizer,” Singer points out. “Increased CO2 levels not only speed up plant growth of crops and forests, but enable plants to do better under stressed conditions of drought, pollution, and attacks by insects and fungi.”
The looming problem of world hunger, Singer adds, has more to do with difficulties in food distribution and purchasing power than with food production.
“The latest catastrophic forecast comes to us from climate alarmists who focus on a world food crisis, supposedly as a consequence of global warming,” says S. Fred Singer, a professor emeritus of environmental science at the University of Virginia and former founding director of the U.S. Weather Satellite Service.
“While there may well arise problems about world food, it is more likely that global warming — if it does take place — will increase food production rather than lower it.”
Singer cites three reasons.
First, the main cause of lowered crop yields is the loss of soil moisture, but any increase in global temperature will also increase evaporation from the oceans and raise global precipitation.
“Global warming is a perfect recipe for creating more fresh water, which according to the alarmists is badly needed,” Singer, now a research fellow at the Independent Institute, writes for its website American Thinker.
Second, warmer temperatures will affect higher latitudes, where climate tends to be more severe, more than the tropics.
“So it may be that Canada and Siberia will see increases in crop production because of longer growing seasons, warmer growing temperatures, and fewer frosts — but there will be little change at lower latitudes,” Singer says.
Third, the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels, which alarmists say is the cause of global warming, will be good for plant growth.
“CO2 is plant food and a natural fertilizer,” Singer points out. “Increased CO2 levels not only speed up plant growth of crops and forests, but enable plants to do better under stressed conditions of drought, pollution, and attacks by insects and fungi.”
The looming problem of world hunger, Singer adds, has more to do with difficulties in food distribution and purchasing power than with food production.
