Does a small temperature rise actually matter (for agriculture)?
As part of its Ultimate Climate Change FAQ, the Guardian asks does a small temperature rise actually matter?
Yes in fact:
the temperature rise observed so far is not the chief cause of concern. More worrying is the significantly larger temperature rise (and associated changes in rainfall, snowfall, sea level and other phenomena) that scientists expect the world to experience in the coming decades and centuries.
Our colleagues at CIAT recently investigated a related question, "what does a two-degree change in temperature look like for agriculture?" The result is a series of photofilms featuring farmers who are already facing a changing climate.
As the Two Degrees Up case studies illustrate, two degrees is too much.
Two Degrees Up: COLOMBIA, Small coffee producers in Colombia are already feeling the effects of climate change on this vital, high-value cash crop.
