Anyone else feel hungry?

Much of the discussion of the effects of climate change focuses on sea level rise. My opinion is that for most people, food and water shortages will have the most impact.

It is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.

Cereal Killer

‘Flash drought’ could devastate half the High Plains wheat harvest


Aug 1, 2017

An intense drought has quickly gripped much of the Dakotas and parts of Montana this summer, catching farmers and ranchers off-guard. The multi-agency U.S. Drought Monitor recently upgraded the drought to “exceptional,” its highest severity level, matching the intensity of the California drought at its peak.
The Associated Press says the dry conditions are “laying waste to crops and searing pasture and hay land” in America’s new wheat belt, with some longtime farmers and ranchers calling it the worst of their lifetimes.

...

Rainfall across the affected region has been less than half of normal since late April, when this year’s growing season began. In parts of Montana’s Missouri River basin, which is the drought’s epicenter, rainfall has been less than a quarter of normal

...

Recently, as the climate has warmed and crop suitability has shifted, the Dakotas and Montana have surpassed Kansas as the most important wheat-growing region in the country. The High Plains is now a supplier of staple grain for the entire world. According to recent field surveys, more than half of this year’s harvest may already be lost.

...

this drought is an anomaly, a “flash drought.” It essentially came from nowhere. It didn’t exist just three months ago.
The frequency of these rapid-onset droughts is expected to increase as the planet warms.

...

Droughts like these are closely linked to climate change.

Briefly...


A drought in the Dakotas spells trouble for the U.S. wheat harvest.


Jun 30, 2017

This year’s American wheat crop is currently rated the worst in 29 years. Wheat is humanity’s most important grain food source, and the U.S. is the world’s largest wheat exporter, with the Dakotas and Montana now its most important wheat-growing region. Wheat prices recently went up more than 10 percent in response to the worsening drought.
For decades, Kansas was America’s wheat state. That title recently shifted to North Dakota, as better growing conditions moved north due to warming temperatures. At this rate, Canadian farmers should be put on notice.

While I'm at it, let's document this as well.

Droughts Threaten Olive Crops in Southern Europe -- July 20, 2017

Hot and dry weather, heat waves and forest fires in several countries across Southern Europe have created drought conditions that are threatening crops like wheat, olives and almonds.
The region has been experiencing below average rainfall for most of 2017 which, coupled with high summer temperatures, has contributed to what the media are calling the worst drought in decades.
Cereal production in Italy and Spain is particularly affected and has fallen to the lowest level in 20 years. ... provinces in the Piemonte region are seeing a 30-percent decline in their wheat production ... In the regions of Castile and Leon where cereals represent the biggest crops, losses are estimated at around 60 to 70 percent. The grape and olive harvests are also under threat ...

Olive harvests have been poor for 3-4 years now.

On the other hand:
Strong Black Sea wheat exports seen as weather boosts crop -- Aug 4 2017

Black Sea wheat producers anticipate strong exports in the current marketing year as recent good weather has buoyed their expectations for bumper crops in Russia and Ukraine

This is the undeniable advantage of a global food distribution system. Drought in one region can be offset by surplus in another. But as global temperatures rise, we will see more droughts and fewer surpluses.

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Alligator Ed's picture

Most of them are climate-change deniers. When will reality smack them in the face and stop believing this RW bullshit? Maybe this will smack the voters in the ass, too, making them so acutely aware of this grim reality that they vote those ignorant bastards out? This however doesn't mean that replacement Democrats will be any better; they'll just talk a better game.

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Steven D's picture

@Alligator Ed Never.

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"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott

I think that really worry me the most. I am constantly debating whether I sell my condo, now in bubble territory worth wise, and buy a small house and piece of land somewhere. The horrible dilemma is the where of the thing, but it's also a huge step for me. I have no idea how to grow my own food but I feel like I should learn. I worry about just this type of ugly, slow motion disaster far more than a nuke. When food gets priced out of reach, water too, I am scared of being anywhere too urban or even suburban. Too many people fighting over the same things....

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Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur

thanatokephaloides's picture

@lizzyh7

I worry about just this type of ugly, slow motion disaster far more than a nuke.

I knew I remained in Colorado Springs, Colorado for a reason!! /snark

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"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

@thanatokephaloides my sister used to live there and was stationed at Ft Carson for a while in the 80's. Nice place and lots of "interesting" things there!

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Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur

QMS's picture

@lizzyh7 makes sense to get north in a temperate climate, learn the land, invest in life supporting skills, greenhouse, gardening, animal husbandry, pickling and canning. dig a well, compost waste. go solar and cut the grid. never too old to try!

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question everything

@lizzyh7

We're building bases in Ukraine.

Russia has to react in view of massive militarization of the region against the background of high tensions. An accident may spark a big fire. The US military presence in Ukraine is a highly provocative step, which will very negatively affect the situation. Nothing justifies the whipping up of tensions in the Black Sea region, but the United States keeps on doing it with great vigor.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-08-14/ukraine-hosts-us-military-be-pe...

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but it is getting a little hard to breathe.
Every second breath a human takes is provided by phytoplankton- and we've lost 40% over the last fifty years.
We won't have a chance to drown or go hungry, we just won't be able to BREATHE!

Stop These Fucking Wars

peace

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Ya got to be a Spirit, cain't be no Ghost. . .

Explain Bldg #7. . . still waiting. . .

If you’ve ever wondered whether you would have complied in 1930’s Germany,
Now you know. . .
sign at protest march

moneysmith's picture

this is the first I've heard of it. Maybe if it could be blamed on the Russians, CNN, et al, would mention it.

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Hell is empty and all the devils are here. William Shakespeare

WoodsDweller's picture

@moneysmith @moneysmith
Did you hear about the drought in Venezuela in the MSM?

Venezuela Faces its Worst Drought in 47 Years -- Jauary 19th, 2016

For the first time since 1969 Venezuela has seen three consecutive years of drought, bringing nearly all primary reservoirs across the country to critically low levels.

Venezuela Drought Aggravates Instability -- June 10, 2016

The rainfall deficit affects almost all of the country, and is particularly serious in Bolivar, site of the 10,323-megawatt Guri hydroelectric plant, which supplies more than 60 percent of the country’s electricity. The Guri station, at full operating capacity, is the third largest hydropower station in the world
...
Water levels in the reservoir behind the dam have fallen to such low levels that managers ... are shutting down turbines. In April, Venezuela instituted electricity conservation measures. It cut work weeks to two days, closed schools on Friday, and curtailed power transmission to manufacturers.
...
The outages affect every industry and are a factor in the country’s slipping economy, soaring inflation, and food and supply shortages. Coca Cola halted soft drink production last month because of sugar shortages. Long lines form daily for food staples. Looting is rampant, according to police reports. Earlier this month several news organizations reported that a woman died after being hit by a stray bullet when police opened fire on looters trying to ransack a warehouse in the western city of San Cristobal.

Yet we hear nothing in the MSM until El Trumpo sez:
Trump threatens Venezuela with unspecified 'military option' -- two days ago

President Lardass on Friday threatened military intervention in Venezuela, a surprise escalation of Washington's response to Venezuela's political crisis

See? Not a multi-year collapse of a nation due to drought, but a "political crisis" which may require "military intervention".

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"The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function." -- Albert Bartlett
"A species that is hurtling toward extinction has no business promoting slow incremental change." -- Caitlin Johnstone

moneysmith's picture

@WoodsDweller Military intervention -- great idea! Apparently that's the solution to anything and everything these days.

Also there's this, which is getting very little attention.

Just for laughs, I checked HuffPoo, where there is no mention of the plains drought, the Venezuelan drought, or New Orleans transformation into Atlantis. They do have compelling pieces like "Jennifer Aniston on what she really thinks of Rachel's nipples." (Okay, easy target, I agree, and not really worth mentioning, except I can't help taking a swipe at that pile of garbage whenever the opportunity arises.)

McClatchy used to be a pretty decent news service, but last time I looked they were searching for Russians under the bed, too. I never ever thought it would get this bad here. I was wrong.

Meanwhile,

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Hell is empty and all the devils are here. William Shakespeare

moneysmith's picture

@WoodsDweller @WoodsDweller Military intervention -- great idea! Apparently that's the solution to anything and everything these days.

Also there's this, which is getting very little attention.

Just for laughs, I checked HuffPoo, where there is no mention of the plains drought, the Venezuelan drought, or New Orleans transformation into Atlantis. They do have compelling pieces like "Jennifer Aniston on what she really thinks of Rachel's nipples." (Okay, easy target, I agree, and not really worth mentioning, except I can't help taking a swipe at that pile of garbage whenever the opportunity arises.)

McClatchy used to be a pretty decent news service, but last time I looked they were searching for Russians under the bed, too. I never ever thought it would get this bad here. I was wrong.

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Hell is empty and all the devils are here. William Shakespeare

mhagle's picture

I still can't get that out of my head. The affects of drought are even worse because we have raped the land.

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo