Sustainable Bioenergy, Farms, and Forests - October 21, 2016

FAO Report Describes Relationship Between Climate Change and Food Security

Climate change and agriculture are deeply interconnected. Globally, the agricultural sector is responsible for approximately 21 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. Agriculture is also incredibly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, as it is so dependent on temperature and precipitation patterns. While some regions may benefit from improved growing conditions, the negative effects worldwide are expected to far outweigh the positives. Global food security will be severely affected at a time when population is rapidly expanding.

On October 17, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) released The State of Food and Agriculture in 2016, a 194-page report detailing the effects that climate and agriculture have on each other and the actions that need to be taken to protect food security. The report pays particular attention to smallholder farmers in the developing world, who will be disproportionately affected by the effects of climate change. “2016 should be about putting commitments into action,” said FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva. “The benefits of adaptation outweigh the costs of inaction by very wide margins.”

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Headlines

1. GAO: Federal Government Spent $101 Million on Algal Blooms Between 2013-15

2. New Bioprocessing Tech Moves Us From “Food vs Fuels” to “Food, then Fuel”

3. Scientists Turn Carbon Dioxide into Ethanol

4. Surrogates for Presidential Candidates Touch on Array of Ag Topics

5. NRCS Rolls Out Regs for New Ag Conservation Easement Program

 

Briefing Recap: 

Public Attitudes about Climate Change and Clean Energy

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a briefing discussing American perceptions of climate change as awareness and concern for its impacts continues to rise among the electorate. The latest polling indicates seven in ten Americans say climate change is happening, and a majority feel their member of Congress should be doing more to address this global issue.

The presentation delved into recent work from the polling sector, including what Americans really think about climate change policy, how mainstream reporting has adapted its coverage of climate issues over the years, and how voter attitudes towards climate change and clean energy may influence the 2016 election cycle. Polling trends at both the national and state level were discussed, as Dr. Edward Maibach explored the gap between the data and real-world experiences in measuring public opinion. Check out the briefing re-cap for a full summary.

 

 

 

To Contact the Editor: Rebecca Chillrud at [email protected]

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