How Climate Change is Destroying Crops

Carbon Brief has analyzed global media reports to identify where and how extreme weather events have destroyed crops over the past two years. In How Extreme Weather is Destroying Crops Around the World, Carbon Brief has mapped this analysis, highlighting 100 instances of crops being lost to heat, drought, floods, and other extreme weather events in 2023-24.

The colors of the 100 markers on the map indicate the type of extreme weather event responsible for the destruction. Some markers are multi-colored, representing "compound" events where crops have been affected by more than one extreme condition - for example, frost and drought impacting grain yields in South Australia.

With only 100 data points, the Carbon Brief analysis is likely too limited to draw definitive conclusions about how different extreme climate events are affecting crops in various regions. However, the map effectively illustrates the growing challenges faced by the agricultural sector due to climate change and global warming. As climate change intensifies, agriculture worldwide faces mounting threats, and the Carbon Brief map underscores the urgent need for adaptation strategies to ensure food security.