****Note change of time to 7.30pm****
Climate Week Talk: Food Security – Sorry Cancelled due to illness 12/03/18
The global population is projected to grow to 11 billion by the end of the century, contributing to increased competition for land, water and energy resources. The climate is also changing and is likely to affect agricultural productivity, with increases in food production expected in some regions and decreases in others. The confluence of these factors represents a considerable challenge for society – how can we feed 11 billion people equitably and sustainably?
As the UK government’s centre for climate research, the Met Office works to understand the impacts of both natural climate variability and climate change on human lives and livelihoods; recently, there has been growing interest in food security. This talk will explore what we mean by food security and the factors that affect it, as well as our current research assessing climate impacts on wheat, maize and rice production, which provide around 60% of the world’s food energy intake. I will also discuss our work on the “human dynamics of climate change” which illustrates some of the impacts of climate and population change in the context of a globalised world.
Catherine Bradshaw joined the Met Office in 2016 with a research background in palaeoclimate modelling, and prior to that, many years experience of working for environmental consultancies on projects for local and national governments, both in the UK and abroad. As part of the Climate Security team, she analyses the interactions between the climate and human systems. Recent and on-going activities include investigating the climate risk to agriculture and the likelihood of multi-breadbasket failures, as well as the broader context of combined food, energy and water security.
7.30pm in the Cellar Bar at Kennaway House, Sidmouth EX10 8NG
Free event