We are well aware, even if some refuse to accept it, that rising carbon dioxide emissions are the cause of the worldwide mean increase in global temperatures, major climate shifts, and extreme weather patterns. However, not many of us know that rising CO2 levels also have a chemical effect on the plants that we eat. While it is true that plants show increased rates of photosynthesis with more access to CO2, they also produce less concentration of minerals and proteins vital to our diets.
These nutrients include zinc, iron, and B-vitamins. A study was done by Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor and lead author on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, that showed rice that had CO2 saturation equal to what might be the norm in 2050 produced “protein in the rice declined by around 10%, iron by around 8%, zinc by 5%, and B vitamins by around 18%”. Although these numbers may seem insignificant, for poor communities that rely on starch centered diets, these decreased mineral and protein production can push these people over the edge into nutrient deficiency. Not only will our plants be less nutritious, but herbivore animals we rely on for meat consumption will also become less nutritious.
As individuals, we can work to reduce our carbon footprint by changing our lifestyle choices. Doing things like eating less meat, buying less fast-fashion, and turning off the lights when we leave the room can have a significant impact. However, the most effective way to reduce carbon emissions is through government policies and treaties such as the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement, which President Donald Trump decided to withdraw the United States from, sets a plan to both avoid dangerous climate change by reducing global warming to below 1.5 degrees celsius and strengthen countries to deal with the effects of climate change. These worldwide efforts to recognize global warming have seen an increase in new solutions to reverse its effects.
One such solution is biofortification, which is a process of increasing the nutritional value of plants through both conventional plant breeding and genetic engineering. Though this process is currently being used in poorer countries with high rates of nutrient deficiency in its peoples’ diets, we may see biofortification used more on staple crops in richer countries, even America. As we come to understand the deeper and long-lasting effects of global warming, we must continue to work to limit our carbon emissions as fast as possible.
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