Climate Change
¥The Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) projects earthÕs average temperature will rise 1.1 - 6.4¡C
(2.0 - 11.5¡F) during this century
¥Current trajectory is already
outpacing projections
¥As temperatures rise, glaciers and
ice sheets melt, causing sea level to rise
¥Extreme weather events, such as
crop-withering heat waves, droughts, and powerful storms become more frequent
and more intense
¥For every 1¡C rise in temperature
above the optimum during the growing season, yields of wheat, rice, and corn drop
10 percent.
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Photo
Credit: iStockPhoto / dra_schwartz