Mange eksempel på kunsten «å stanse en supertanker med en robåt.»
At man finner på utilstrekkelig dill skyldes at folk (beslutningstakere inkludert) ikke har forstått alvoret. CO2 er jo plantemat.
Rice Reaches Its Heat Limit After 9,000 Years, Raising Global Food Security Fears
A new scientific study warns that rice—one of the world’s most essential staple crops—may soon exceed its ability to survive rising global temperatures, posing a serious threat to billions of people who depend on it.
Researchers from the Florida Museum of Natural History and partner institutions found that rice cultivation has historically remained within strict thermal boundaries over the past 9,000 years. However, climate change driven by greenhouse gas emissions is now accelerating far beyond anything the crop has previously adapted to.
Rice, which provides roughly 20% of daily calories for half the global population, thrives in warm climates. Yet the study shows it begins to suffer heat stress above 91°F (33°C), with an upper cultivation limit near 104°F (40°C). Crucially, rice has never been successfully grown in regions with an average annual temperature above 82°F (28°C).
Using archaeological data, satellite imagery, and climate models, scientists mapped rice’s historical spread and compared it with future temperature projections. Their findings suggest that by 2070, many of today’s major rice-growing regions—including parts of South and Southeast Asia—will exceed these limits.
Countries such as India, currently the world’s leading rice producer, could face severe production declines. This raises the risk of widespread food shortages, particularly in regions where rice is both a dietary staple and a key source of income.
Lead researcher Nicolas Gauthier emphasized that while genetic engineering and selective breeding may help develop more heat-tolerant rice varieties, adaptation will be difficult and unevenly distributed. Vulnerable populations, especially small-scale farmers in tropical regions, may struggle to access these innovations.
The study also highlights a critical limitation: while rice has historically adapted to cooler climates, evolving tolerance to higher temperatures presents a far greater biological challenge. At extreme heat levels, the plant’s physiological processes begin to fail entirely.
Scientists warn that without significant reductions in global emissions, the world has roughly 50 years to adapt rice production systems—or face potentially devastating consequences for global food security.
Source: Gauthier, N. et al., Projected warming will exceed the long-term thermal limits of rice cultivation, Communications Earth & Environment (2026).
