Convention on food security and climate change to take place in 2017
A convention is being organised that will look at the impact of climate change and food security.
It will take place on the 4th of June in Westport, Co Mayo. It will include training, workshops, discussion and reflection.
This unique event will examine the options for preparing for catastrophic or near-catastrophic climate change. Attention will be drawn to the unavoidable consequences of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions that are already resident in the earth’s atmosphere – or that will be in the near future – and on the various non-reversible feedbacks that are now being triggered (deep blue is the colour of the ice-free Arctic ocean when seen from space). The convention takes it as a given that global warming will have very serious impacts upon human civilisation. The discussion will not concern itself with emissions reductions or strategies for achieving these but will examine future global warming scenarios and the likely adaptations required at community level, particular in terms of food security.
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Ireland
Ireland is very poorly prepared for climate change. It currently imports 62-68 percent of all food consumed and much of this food originates in countries that will be impacted upon negatively by climate change. The Irish agriculture sector, which is primarily focused on livestock production for the export market, imports 3 million tonnes of animal feed and 1.3 million tonnes of fertiliser every year. It is highly vulnerable to disruptions in global supply chains, including climate change impacts on the countries producing the animal feed. In terms of food security, it is absolutely essential that Ireland acquires the skills, knowledge and ability to produce much more of the food it requires.