Nasty Weather and Ugly Produce: Climate Change, Agricultural Adaptation, and Food Waste

Food systems worldwide are threatened by climate change, as reflected, for example, in the diminished yields of fruits and vegetables and reduced production of global fisheries. This article discusses the threats of climate change on agricultural production and the need for agricultural adaptation. It posits that food insecurity must be considered in terms of climate change and its likely effects on food production. The article argues that agricultural mitigation and adaptation measures should must be pursued and communicated through the mechanisms of the Paris Agreement.

In the United States, reducing food waste effectuated by the regulation on the culling of unattractive but edible produce represents a modest, yet necessary mitigation and adaptation opportunity.