if beer became rare and expensive?
 |
| if beer became rare and expensive? |
This may not be the most dramatic consequence of global warming. But for lovers of blondes as much as for lovers of brunettes, the news is tough. A study predicts that an upsurge in heat waves and drought could turn beer into a luxury drink.
Rising water, larger heat waves, occurrence of cold episodes in some areas, increased extreme weather events, loss of biodiversity. But also explosion of poverty and recrudescence of diseases. These are some of the catastrophic consequences of global warming underway on our planet.
And if in addition, beer should become scarce and expensive because of rising temperatures? Lovers of moss, it will be necessary to think about reviewing your consumption downward. Better to prepare now. Because it is the alarmist conclusion of a study published recently by researchers from Peking University (China): beer is threatened by global warming.
Remember that to make beer, you need barley. At the current rate of global warming, however, one of the major barley growing areas is likely to be hit by a major weather event at least once a year. A drought or a heat wave of historical severity. What to drop the world production of beer ... 17%! According to researchers, this is neither more nor less than the equivalent of consumption made in the United States in a year.
Less barley, less beer
In fact, only barley of the highest quality - some 20% of world production - is geared towards making beer. Unfortunately, high-quality crops are, according to the researchers, even more sensitive to the vagaries of the weather. It is understandable then that a decline in world barley production would inevitably have an impact on the share of yield devoted to beer production.
In their study, the researchers worked on the different possible scenarios. Thus, with a strong and immediate decline in greenhouse gas emissions - which seems unrealistic - world beer production is expected to be affected by only 3% of the 20 or so extreme events affecting the fields. barley. Prices, meanwhile, would already increase by 15%.
The researchers also note that some countries may be more impacted than others. In Ireland, the bottle of 50 centilitres could reach a price of 4.18 euros, an increase of 193%! In Argentina, beer consumption could be reduced by 32%.
