January 5, 2006

China fears grain cut from global warming

Rising temperatures have been threatening to drive down China's food output, according to an official report.

The government fears China's output of major crops, including rice, wheat and corn, could fall by up to 37 percent in the second half of this century if nothing is done to curb greenhouse gases in the coming 20 to 50 years, said the report.

Global warming would have adverse effects on China's ecological, social and economic systems, particularly farming, animal husbandry and water supply. Some of the damage could be irreversible, said the report.

The average temperature in China has risen by 0.5 to 0.8 deg C in the past century and could go up further in the coming 50 to 80 years, it said. The report predicted the northern areas in particular would dry up, in spite of an increase in annual rainfall. As a result, the country's agriculture would be adversely affected.

Incidentally, only last year China's southwestern Chongqing municipality and neighbouring province Sichuan faced one of the worst droughts in more than 50 years.

China's central and western regions would also face an annual water shortage of about 20 billion cubic metres from 2010 to 2030, the report said.

Also, the country could be hit by floods and droughts as water evaporates more rapidly from rivers. The

Yellow River, China's second longest, would see evaporation increase by 15 percent a year, it said.

Coastal areas stand at a greater risk of flooding as China's sea level would climb 1 to 16 centimetres by 2030, warnd the report.

The report was jointly released by six central departments and academic organisations, including the Ministry of Science and Technology, China Meteorological Administration and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.