The Coming Famine : The Global Food Crisis and What We Can Do to Avoid It

In __The Coming Famine__, Julian Cribb lays out a vivid picture of impending planetary crisis--a global food shortage that threatens to hit by mid-century--that would dwarf any in our previous experience. Cribb's comprehensive assessment describes a dangerous confluence of shortages--of water, land, energy, technology, and knowledge--combined with the increased demand created by population and economic growth. Writing in brisk, accessible prose, Cribb explains how the food system interacts with the environment and with armed conflict, poverty, and other societal factors. He shows how high food prices and regional shortages are already sending shockwaves into the international community. But, far from outlining a doomsday scenario, __The Coming Famine__ offers a strong and positive call to action, exploring the greatest issue of our age and providing practical suggestions for addressing each of the major challenges it raises. In The Coming Famine, Julian Cribb Lays Out A Vivid Picture Of Impending Planetary Crisis--a Global Food Shortage That Threatens To Hit By Midcentury--which He Argues Would Dwarf Any In Our Previous Experience. Cribb's Comprehensive Assessment Points To A Dangerous Confluence Of Shortages--of Water, Land, Energy, Technology, And Knowledge--combined With An Increased Demand Created By Population And Economic Growth. Writing In Brisk, Accessible Prose, Cribb Explains How The Food System Interacts With The Environment And With Armed Conflict, Poverty, And Other Societal Factors. He Shows That High Food Prices And Regional Shortages Are Already Sending Out Shockwaves In The International Community. He Warns That The Heightened Risk Of Regional Famines Will Have A Planetwide Effect On Food Prices, Trade, And Conflict And Will Generate New Waves Of Refugees. But, Far From Outlining A Doomsday Scenario, The Coming Famine Is A Strong And Positive Call To Action, Exploring The Greatest Issue Of Our Age And Providing Practical Suggestions For Addressing And Averting Each Of The Major Challenges It Raises--cover Page [ii]. What Food Crisis? -- Food-- Or War -- The Well Runs Dry -- Peak Land -- Nutrients : The New Oil -- Troubled Waters -- Losing Our Brains -- Eating Oil -- The Climate Hammer -- Elephants In The Kitchen -- A Fair Deal For Farmers -- Food In The Future. Julian Cribb. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 207-233) And Index. In The Coming Famine, Julian Cribb lays out a vivid picture of impending planetary crisis--a global food shortage that threatens to hit by mid-century--that would dwarf any in our previous experience. Cribb's comprehensive assessment describes a dangerous confluence of shortages--of water, land, energy, technology, and knowledge--combined with the increased demand created by population and economic growth. Writing in brisk, accessible prose, Cribb explains how the food system interacts with the environment and with armed conflict, poverty, and other societal factors. He shows how high food prices and regional shortages are already sending shockwaves into the international community. But, far from outlining a doomsday scenario, The Coming Famine offers a strong and positive call to action, exploring the greatest issue of our age and providing practical suggestions for addressing each of the major challenges it raises. In the coming half century humanity faces a planetary crisis that will affect everyone. A doubling in human demand for food is set to collide with increasing scarcities of the very resources needed to grow our food - water, land, energy, nutrients and knowledge - under the lash of a changing world climate. Urgent action is now needed to ensure global food security, or else we run the risk of regional famines, the tidal movements of tens of millions of refugees and wars. The Coming Famine explores the issue most central to the human destiny in the coming generations - and puts forward practical answers for what we can all do about it Contents 8 List of Illustrations 10 Preface 12 1 What Food Crisis? 14 2 Food ... or War? 27 3 The Well Runs Dry 43 4 Peak Land 61 5 Nutrients—The New Oil 82 6 Troubled Waters 99 7 Losing Our Brains 113 8 Eating Oil 132 9 The Climate Hammer 148 10 Elephants in the Kitchen 167 11 A Fair Deal for Farmers 181 12 Food in the Future 200 List of Conversions 218 Notes 220 Index 248 A 248 B 249 C 250 D 251 E 251 F 252 G 253 H 254 I 254 J 255 K 255 L 255 M 255 N 256 O 256 P 257 Q 257 R 258 S 258 T 259 U 259 V 260 W 260 X 261 Y 261 Z 261 0520260716,9780520260719,9780520947160