By J. Critchley – Food production causes over a quarter of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions [1]. It’s estimated that by 2050 there will be another 2 billion people on earth which will require 70% more food [2], meaning greenhouse gas emissions are only going to increase [3]. So, it’s becoming ever more important to…
By Jasmine Thompson – Food security is increasingly being put under stress due to the rising population set to reach 9.8 billion by 2050 [1], with 2.37 billion people not having adequate access to food in 2020[2] this problem is certainly not going away. This leads to more land being converted into permanent field [3]…
By Lucy Dewhurst – Degraded soils, higher temperatures and reduced water availability. Just a few factors that crop growth could be affected by in years to come as the environment takes on more strain [1]. Potentially reducing agricultural crop productivity in a planet already struggling to feed its population. Currently, over 800 million people go…
by Katrina Woodfield – The song by rock band AC/DC may argue that “Rock and roll ain’t noise pollution”, but after testing this hypothesis, scientists from Mississippi State University beg to differ1,2. AC/DC’s album Back in Black inspired Barton et al. (2018) to study the effect of rock music on predator-prey interactions between ladybirds (Harmonia…
by Jaya Patel – Our current agricultural system is unsustainable. Food production releases at least 25% of greenhouse gases1, contributing to climate change – an issue which threatens global food security. Not only do our diets harm the environment, but also human health. An article published in “Trends in Plant Science” explores how to approach…
by Erin Jones – Approximately 2.9 billion hectares of land is affected by shifting cultivation globally[1]. Often named ‘slash and burn’, shifting cultivation is an age-old practice unique to tropical locations in Africa, Asia and Latin America[2]. It involves the cutting and burning of natural material, which is replaced by agricultural crops, followed by an…
by Charlotte Evans – Have you ever considered the negative impacts of offsetting climate change? Food security is a global issue that could be worsened through mitigation processes and it is something that 2 billion people currently suffer from [1]. Climate change and food security are both major global problems and both are linked to…
We all know we should aim to eat a healthy diet for ourselves, but have you considered the impacts of an unhealthy diet on the environment? Diets high in added sugars and saturated fats, are having a serious effect on the planet as well as human health. The Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable…
by Trang Kowalkowska – The Global Nutritional Report found that there are around ‘820 million hungry or undernourished people’ [1] and The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World estimated that about ‘3 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet’ [2]. The figures are expected to rise due to rapidly increasing population growth…