Search Climate Insights Directory

The document examines the systemic nature of neonicotinoids and their toxicity to arthropods and vertebrates, linking them to honeybee colony losses in Canada and biodiversity decline in Europe. It highlights the economic importance of pollinators in Ontario and Quebec and argues that the widespread use of these pesticides often provides negligible agricultural benefits while threatening human nutrition and global food security.

The report finds that while national-level losses for food crops by 2050 are projected to be less than US$1.5 billion (under 0.2% of GDP), agricultural exports—particularly coffee—face severe risks. Climate-induced yield and area losses for coffee could reach 50-75% by 2050, with potential value losses of US$1,235 million to US$1,850 million. Tea and cotton also face significant production declines. Extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, are identified as a more urgent threat than gradual yield decreases, with the 2010-11 drought causing approximately US$470 million in losses to the agricultural sector. The report evaluates eight strategic adaptation interventions, noting that most address current climate variability and offer high benefit-to-cost ratios, particularly community-based adaptation and agricultural diversification.

The paper examines how specific agricultural practices—including reduced tillage, crop rotations, legume intercropping, and modern inputs—impact crop yields and the probability of disastrously low yields for smallholder farmers in Zambia. It utilizes panel data from the Rural Incomes and Livelihoods Surveys (RILS) merged with geo-referenced historical rainfall and temperature data to analyze how these practices interact with varying climatic conditions.

The study finds that soil and water conservation (SWC) and small reservoir expansion increased significantly in northern Burkina Faso, particularly in regions receiving 700 mm of rainfall or less. While regional cereal yields rose by approximately 3% per year, and rice productivity showed a strong correlation with reservoir expansion, the causal links to poverty reduction and food security are less clear due to data limitations. The report suggests that AWM adoption is one of many factors contributing to livelihood improvements and requires further long-term analysis to establish definitive causality.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) submitted comments to the California Air Resources Board (ARB) arguing against reducing indirect land use change (ILUC) emissions estimates for biofuels. CATF contends that the GTAP model used by ARB undercounts emissions by ignoring water scarcity constraints, failing to distinguish between commercial and non-commercial forests, and using flawed yield improvement assumptions. Specifically, CATF cites research showing that accounting for irrigation constraints can increase land-based emissions by 27.5%. The document also highlights that climate-driven drought in the US Midwest may decelerate corn yields and that the current framework ignores nitrous oxide emissions from increased fertilizer use required to sustain yield growth.

The project implemented urine-harvesting urinals at a school and administrative office in Bind Block, Bihar, and conducted field trials to compare treated urine with NPK chemical fertilizers. Results showed that urine provided similar or better crop yields for vegetables and fruits, while offering a free alternative that could save a family approximately 4,000 rupees annually. By framing urine as a valuable resource rather than waste, the project aimed to overcome social and caste-based barriers to sanitation adoption in rural India.

The report evaluates climate-smart agriculture practices in Malawi and Zambia, finding strong yield benefits for agroforestry in Malawi but slow adoption, and weak, inconclusive yield and financial benefits for conservation agriculture in Zambia due to high labour costs.

The report identifies significant climate risks in the Yaque del Sur watershed, where high exposure to hurricanes, floods, and droughts intersects with high poverty and low adaptive capacity. Modelling suggests that by 2050, the annual water deficit could reach 519 million m3, threatening key crops like maize and tomatoes. While the Dominican Republic has established disaster risk and climate change frameworks, the report finds a lack of coordination between these structures and deficiencies in data sharing. Recommended priority actions include shifting to drought-resilient crops (sorghum and mangoes), increasing irrigation efficiency from 20% to 45%, and implementing payment for ecosystem services to promote reforestation in the upper watershed.

The report identifies Honduras as highly vulnerable to climate risks, particularly in its small-scale agricultural sector, which is critical for food security and employment. It details current threats such as droughts, hurricanes, and floods, and projects a hotter, drier future that could significantly reduce maize and bean yields. The document evaluates the country's existing disaster risk and climate adaptation frameworks, noting a lack of integration between the two and significant gaps in meteorological data. It recommends a combination of local technical measures—such as improved water management, soil conservation, and crop diversification—and governance reforms to incorporate climate risk into national agricultural policies.

The report examines the vulnerability of Peru's agricultural sector to climate variability and change, focusing on the Junín and Piura regions. It identifies key threats such as El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), droughts, floods, and frosts, and analyzes their impacts on priority crops like maize, potatoes, and mangoes. The document evaluates Peru's institutional capacity for risk management, noting a disconnect between disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation frameworks. It recommends improving agricultural practices, water management, and data collection, while calling for a comprehensive national program to integrate climate risk management into development planning.

The document highlights that rapid industrialization and economic growth in Asia have led to higher ozone precursor emissions and concentrations. It emphasizes the need to improve understanding of ozone's impact on South Asian agriculture via experimental assessments and regional scale modelling to evaluate risks to agricultural production.

The document argues that while a 'Green Revolution' focused solely on increasing crop yields and land cultivation could make Africa a net food exporter and boost GDP, it would not significantly reduce undernutrition because most production would be exported. To improve human development, the authors propose a 'Green Revolution for Development' that couples production increases with policies to stimulate domestic food demand and access, alongside improvements in water and sanitation.

The authors identified 14 emission control measures targeting methane and black carbon that could reduce projected global mean warming by approximately 0.5°C by 2050. These measures are estimated to prevent 0.7 to 4.7 million premature deaths annually from outdoor air pollution and increase annual crop yields by 30 to 135 million metric tons from 2030 onwards. The economic benefits of methane reductions (USD 700 to USD 5,000 per metric ton) significantly exceed their marginal abatement costs (under USD 250). Combining these short-term pollutant controls with carbon dioxide reduction measures substantially lowers the risk of exceeding the 2°C warming threshold.

The document argues that media outlets have a duty to connect the dots between a warming climate and the devastating weather events of 2010, such as heatwaves in Russia and flooding in Pakistan. It asserts that climate change will increase the frequency of severe weather, decrease crop yields, and worsen air quality, providing a list of scientific and journalistic resources to support this coverage.

The report projects that Illinois will face significantly hotter summers, increased flash flooding, and severe threats to agriculture if heat-trapping emissions continue to rise. Under a higher-emissions scenario, Chicago could see more than 70 days above 90°F per summer by the end of the century, and corn yields could decline by as much as 50% by mid-century. The document advocates for a transition to clean energy, including renewable electricity standards and a moratorium on new coal plants, alongside federal cap-and-trade legislation to mitigate these risks.

The report projects that Iowa will face significantly hotter summers, increased flooding in winter and spring, and new threats to agriculture due to climate change. Under a higher-emissions scenario, Des Moines could see over 85 days per summer above 90°F and frequent heat waves similar to the 1995 Chicago disaster. Agriculture is threatened by heat stress for corn and livestock, as well as the northward expansion of pests like the corn earworm. The document argues that Iowa can mitigate these risks by strengthening its renewable electricity standard, promoting energy efficiency, and banning coal plants without carbon capture and storage, supported by federal cap-and-trade and fuel economy standards.

The report projects that Minnesota will face significantly hotter summers, increased flooding, and agricultural threats if current emissions trends continue. Under a high-emissions scenario, the state could see a 12°F increase in average summer temperatures by the end of the century, with Minneapolis-St. Paul experiencing nearly 70 days over 90°F per summer. These changes are expected to increase heat-related mortality, worsen air quality through higher ozone and particulate levels, and disrupt farming via heat stress and pest expansion. The document advocates for a transition to renewable energy, increased energy efficiency, and a federal cap-and-trade program to mitigate these risks.

The report projects that Missouri will face significantly hotter summers, increased flooding, and agricultural disruptions if heat-trapping emissions continue to rise. It highlights severe risks for St. Louis, including extreme heat waves and deteriorating air quality, and suggests a combination of state-level energy efficiency and federal climate legislation to mitigate these effects.

The report projects that Ohio will face significantly hotter summers, increased flooding, and agricultural disruptions if current emissions trends continue. It highlights severe risks to public health from heat waves and ozone pollution, and warns of crop and livestock stress. The document advocates for a transition to clean energy through stronger renewable electricity standards, updated building codes, and federal cap-and-trade legislation.

The report projects that Wisconsin will face significantly hotter summers, increased flooding, and agricultural disruptions if current emissions trends continue. Under a high-emissions scenario, Milwaukee could see more than 55 days per summer over 90°F by the end of the century. The document advocates for a transition to clean energy through renewable electricity standards, energy efficiency, and federal cap-and-trade policies to mitigate these risks.