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 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]. |
Contents
1 What Food Crisis? | 1 |
2 Food or War? | 14 |
3 The Well Runs Dry | 30 |
4 Peak Land | 48 |
5 NutrientsThe New Oil | 69 |
6 Troubled Waters | 86 |
7 Losing Our Brains | 100 |
8 Eating Oil | 119 |
Other editions - View all
The Coming Famine: The Global Food Crisis and What We Can Do to Avoid It Julian Cribb Limited preview - 2010 |
The Coming Famine: The Global Food Crisis and What We Can Do to Avoid It Julian Cribb Limited preview - 2011 |
The Coming Famine: The Global Food Crisis and what We Can Do to Avoid it Julian Cribb No preview available - 2010 |
Common terms and phrases
Africa Agriculture Organization Alex Evans Asia Australia billion U.S. biodiesel biofuels carbon dioxide century challenge China cities climate change coming famine conflict consumers developing countries diet Earth economic emissions energy environment environmental estimates farmers farming systems farmland feed fertilizer fish fisheries Food and Agriculture food chain food crisis food prices food production food security food supply fossil fuels freshwater global food security Global Footprint Network global warming governments grain Green Revolution greenhouse groundwater growth hectares human hunger impact increase industry inputs investment less livestock loss markets meat million tonnes million U.S. tons nutrients ocean acidification oceans peak peak oil percent permaculture plants pollution poor population potential recycling reduce refugees regions rice rise risk rural scientists shortages smallholder soil sources sustainable technologies tion tonnes trade U.S. gallons United Nations urban vegetables virtual water waste wheat World Bank World Food worldwide