Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 1.4
Effects of climate change on crops
temperatures within human history ever having
increased as rapidly as they have over the past
100 years. Many other aspects of the earth's cli-
mate also have changed over the past century or
more. Some regions have become wetter, while
others have suffered increased periods of drought.
Frosts have decreased, and heat waves have
increased, in many parts of the world. Mountain
glaciers have shrunk and the sea level has risen.
Already over the last three decades, warming
has had a discernible infl uence at the global scale
on observed changes:
• Global warming
• Shifts in precipitation patterns
• Rising global mean sea level
• The retreat of glaciers
• Decline in the extent of Arctic sea ice
coverage
• River runoff increases in global mean ocean
temperatures
• Ocean acidifi cation
• Extreme climatic events including heat waves
The impacts of climate change on agriculture
have signifi cant repercussions on livelihoods,
food production, and the overall economy of
countries, particularly those with agriculture-
based economies in the developing world. At the
same time, the agricultural sector holds signifi -
cant climate change mitigation potential through
reductions of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
as well as enhancement of agricultural sequestra-
tion (Fig.
1.4
).
For the past some decades, the gaseous com-
position of the earth's atmosphere is undergoing
a signifi cant change, largely through increased
emissions from energy, industry, and agriculture
sectors; widespread deforestation; as well as fast
changes in land-use and land management prac-
tices. These anthropogenic activities are resulting
in an increased emission of radiatively active
gases, viz., carbon dioxide (CO
2
), methane (CH
4
),
and nitrous oxide (N
2
O), popularly known as the
“greenhouse gases” (GHGs) (Table
1.1
). These
•
Widespread melting of snow and ice sheets
•
Increased
fl ood risk for urban areas and
ecosystems
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