Climate change cuts global crop yields, even when farmers adapt

An image showing four world maps, labeled maize, soybean, sorghum, and wheat. Color coding on maps shows where these crops will decline under climate change.

The global food system faces growing risks from climate change, even as farmers seek to adapt, according to a June 18 study in Nature.

In contrast to previous studies suggesting that warming could increase global food production, the researchers estimate that every additional degree Celsius of global warming on average will drag down the world’s ability to produce food by 120 calories per person per day, or 4.4% of current daily consumption. 

“When global production