Extreme heat threatens livelihoods of 1.2 billion: report
This report explores the impact of extreme heat on agricultural producers and on crops, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture, and forests worldwide. Drawing on recent scientific evidence and country case studies, it highlights the independent and compound risks posed by extreme heat, underscores the urgency of mitigation, and presents pathways to strengthen resilience and sustainability across agricultural sectors. FAO/WMO
World Meteorological Organization – A joint report is sounding the alarm on the effects of extreme heat on agriculture.
The World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization released a report titled Extreme heat and agriculture on Nov. 20 and was presented at the COP30 climate change conference in Belem, Brazil. The report warned that extreme heat will lead to multiple risks to populations and agrifood systems, adding that 1.23 billion people will see their livelihoods threatened.
Other findings included that 470 billion hours of labour were lost globally due to extreme heat in 2021 and agricultural workers were 35 times more likely to die from occupational heat exposure than all other workers combined in other sectors. Health risks and productivity losses especially burden rural women, the report added.
The potential losses will also extend to crops and livestock. Corn and wheat yields are projected to decline up to 10 per cent for every one degree Celsius of additional warming. Under a high emission scenario, nearly 50 per cent of the world’s cattle could be exposed to dangerous heat, which may result in US$40 billion of losses (in 2005 dollars). Nearly eight in 10 commercial fish stocks are set to lose biomass, while forests face a double whammy of reduced production and increased fires.
The report urged nations to put their focus on climate adaptation, such as developing heat-resistant breeds of crops and implementing sustainable irrigation, as well as mitigation. As for the latter, the report warned that any additional warming will make it more difficult to pull global agriculture from the brink.
“Without a decisive global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the agricultural sector will face challenges that no amount of adaptation can overcome, threatening the viability of the entire global food system,” it said.
