Study: Heat and Drought Reportedly Wipe Out 3.1M Tons of EU Potatoes

Is this a warning about climate change's reach or just a bad summer that smarter farming could fix?

Published 3 days ago

Study: Heat and Drought Reportedly Wipe Out 3.1M Tons of EU Potatoes

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Above: Potatoes sitting in a large crate at a farm in Remseck, Germany, on Aug. 24. Image credit: Christoph Schmidt/picture alliance/Getty Images

The Spin

Climate-concerned narrative

Five brutal heatwaves just torched millions of tons of Europe's potato crop, and that's what a warming continent looks like on a dinner plate. Growers locked into contracts signed before the drought are getting hammered twice, with smaller spuds and thinner paychecks. Cutting emissions and investing in water management is the only way to keep fries on the table.

Financial Times Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit

Climate-skeptic narrative

One bad summer is a normal boom-and-bust of a crop that hit a record high just last year. Research shows European potato output could jump 55% on existing acreage through better nitrogen management and agronomy, and water is the main limiting factor in only a sliver of fields. Money should be spent on innovation and irrigation, not politically motivated emissions targets.

Business Day Liz Webster

Metaculus Prediction

There's a 50% chance that there will be a biological attack against crops or livestock resulting in at least 100 deaths or $1 billion (2021 USD) in damages by September 2045, according to the Metaculus prediction community.