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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Global crisis 'to strike by 2030' | Global crisis 'to strike by 2030' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Growing world population will cause a "perfect storm" of food, energy and water shortages by 2030, the UK government chief scientist is warning. | Growing world population will cause a "perfect storm" of food, energy and water shortages by 2030, the UK government chief scientist is warning. |
| By 2030 the demand for resources will create a crisis with dire consequences, Prof John Beddington predicts. | By 2030 the demand for resources will create a crisis with dire consequences, Prof John Beddington predicts. |
| Demand for food and energy will jump 50% by 2030 and for fresh water by 30%, as the population tops 8.3 billion, he is due to tell a conference in London. | Demand for food and energy will jump 50% by 2030 and for fresh water by 30%, as the population tops 8.3 billion, he is due to tell a conference in London. |
| Climate change will exacerbate matters in unpredictable ways, he will add. | Climate change will exacerbate matters in unpredictable ways, he will add. |
| 'Complacent' | 'Complacent' |
| "It's a perfect storm," Prof Beddington will tell the Sustainable Development UK 09 conference. | "It's a perfect storm," Prof Beddington will tell the Sustainable Development UK 09 conference. |
| "There's not going to be a complete collapse, but things will start getting really worrying if we don't tackle these problems." We need more disease-resistant and pest-resistant plants and better practices, better harvesting procedures. Professor Beddington | "There's not going to be a complete collapse, but things will start getting really worrying if we don't tackle these problems." We need more disease-resistant and pest-resistant plants and better practices, better harvesting procedures. Professor Beddington |
| Prof Beddinton says the looming crisis will match the current one in the banking sector. | Prof Beddinton says the looming crisis will match the current one in the banking sector. |
| "My main concern is what will happen internationally, there will be food and water shortages," he predicts. | "My main concern is what will happen internationally, there will be food and water shortages," he predicts. |
| "We're relatively fortunate in the UK; there may not be shortages here, but we can expect prices of food and energy to rise." | "We're relatively fortunate in the UK; there may not be shortages here, but we can expect prices of food and energy to rise." |
| The United Nations Environment Programme predicts widespread water shortages across Africa, Europe and Asia by 2025. | The United Nations Environment Programme predicts widespread water shortages across Africa, Europe and Asia by 2025. |
| The amount of fresh water available per head of the population is expected to decline sharply in that time. | The amount of fresh water available per head of the population is expected to decline sharply in that time. |
| The issue of food and energy security rose high on the political agenda last year during a spike in oil and commodity prices. | The issue of food and energy security rose high on the political agenda last year during a spike in oil and commodity prices. |
| Genetically-modified | Genetically-modified |
| Prof Beddington says the concern now - when prices have dropped once again - is that the issues will slip down the domestic and international agenda again. | Prof Beddington says the concern now - when prices have dropped once again - is that the issues will slip down the domestic and international agenda again. |
| "We can't afford to be complacent. Just because the high prices have dropped doesn't mean we can relax," he says. | "We can't afford to be complacent. Just because the high prices have dropped doesn't mean we can relax," he says. |
| Improving agricultural productivity globally is one way to tackle the problem, he adds. | Improving agricultural productivity globally is one way to tackle the problem, he adds. |
| At present, 30-40% of all crops are lost due to pest and disease before they are harvested. | At present, 30-40% of all crops are lost due to pest and disease before they are harvested. |
| Professor Beddington says: "We have to address that. We need more disease-resistant and pest-resistant plants and better practices, better harvesting procedures. | Professor Beddington says: "We have to address that. We need more disease-resistant and pest-resistant plants and better practices, better harvesting procedures. |
| "Genetically-modified food could also be part of the solution. We need plants that are resistant to drought and salinity - a mixture of genetic modification and conventional plant breeding. | "Genetically-modified food could also be part of the solution. We need plants that are resistant to drought and salinity - a mixture of genetic modification and conventional plant breeding. |
| Better water storage and cleaner energy supplies are also essential, he says. | Better water storage and cleaner energy supplies are also essential, he says. |
| Prof Beddington is chairing a subgroup of a new Cabinet Office task force set up to tackle food security. | Prof Beddington is chairing a subgroup of a new Cabinet Office task force set up to tackle food security. |
| But he says the problem cannot be tackled in isolation. | But he says the problem cannot be tackled in isolation. |
| He wants policy-makers in the European Commission to receive the same high level of scientific advice as the new US president, Barack Obama. | |
| One solution would be to create a new post of chief science adviser to the European Commission, he suggests. | One solution would be to create a new post of chief science adviser to the European Commission, he suggests. |