Global warming report rates crop yields

Calcutta News.Net
Friday 14th September, 2007

A new report says global warming could send world agriculture into serious decline by 2080 with productivity collapsing in some developing countries.

The Peterson Institute for International Economics claims India, Pakistan, most of Africa and most of Latin America would be hit hardest.

Among developed countries, Australia's outlook was bleakest with predicted declines in crop yields ranging between 16 per cent and 27 per cent.

Some analysts maintain that global warming could actually be a boon to crops, making the impact of human-caused climate change negligible.

The report says the United States, most of Europe, Russia and Canada would probably see agricultural gains if climate change continues on its current course.

Northern countries would have longer growing seasons due to global warming.

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