Climate Change Will Inhibit Key Food Production
Up to 30 per cent of areas growing maize and bananas, and up to 60 per cent of those growing beans, are likely to become unviable by the end of the century due to climate change, according to the report from Kew launched by professor Kathy Willis, Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens.
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has released the first annual report on the State of the World’s Plants, ahead of the international science and policy symposium on the topic.
The first annual State of the World’s Plants report, which involved more than 80 scientists and took a year to produce, is a baseline assessment of current knowledge on the diversity of plants on earth, the global threats these plants currently face, as well as the policies in place and their effectiveness in dealing with threats.
“This is the first ever global assessment on the state of the world’s plants. We already have a ‘State of the World’s …birds, sea-turtles, forests, cities, mothers, fathers, children even antibiotics’ but not plants. I find this remarkable given the importance of plants to all of our lives– from food, medicines, clothing, building materials and biofuels, to climate regulation. This report therefore provides the first step in filling this critical knowledge gap.” said Professor Kathy Willis, Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew at the report launch on Monday.
Dieter Zirnig