Half of China does plagued by floods and mudslides, the Guardian reported; the other half are desperate for water. And for farmers hit by drought, there is growing concern that it could mean the end of their livelihoods.
What is going on?
Northern and central China have been suffering from months of ongoing tensions drought and extreme heat, forcing Chinese farmers to wait before planting. This has led to a slowdown in the production of popular crops such as rice, corn and commonly used herbs such as mugwort.
“With advanced technology and artificial rainfall, there would be some hope for us,” one farmer told AFP, per Physical.org. “But if there really is no rain, average people like us will face a total crop failure. That’s just the way it is.”
According to Phys.org, another farmer echoed the grim sentiments, saying, “If it really doesn’t rain, (the crops) will all die.”
Why is this pattern so troubling?
This drought will pose a significant threat China’s food supply — already a concern in a country of more than 1.4 billion people — and the global food supply. But what worries experts most is what will happen in the coming seasons if these severe droughts continue.
This is likely, given the weather patterns that scientists have been cataloging for decades. Although droughts have long been part of the natural weather cycle, their severity and duration are increasing due to one crucial factor: global warming.
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Global warming is linked to increasingly erratic weather patterns and a small increase in extreme weather conditions. A heavy layer of hot air in the atmosphere acts as an atmospheric layer “steroid“extend droughts and, ironically, intensify droughts tropical storms.
Even now, as farmers in central and northern China are drying out in the heat, the southern half of China is being hit destroyed by heavy flood and mudslides, which killed several people and left many more missing, according to Phys.org.
What is being done about this?
Scientists are working to innovate around different ways to protect crops from drought, whether it means adapting crops to less water needed or by experimenting with artificial rain systemsalthough the latter remains controversial due to its use of chemicals.
Not every farmer has been hit by severe drought yet, but the possibility seems to grow by the day as nearly every city faces a threat from climate-intensified weather.
The best an individual can do is reduce work your own footprint to slow global warming, whether by supporting green brands, to vote for pro-climate candidates, grow your own food, to change gear to an EV, emergency landing on water single-use plasticsor using a green bank.
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