As CO2 Levels Rise, So Do Rates Of Malnourishment

Currently, two billion people worldwide suffer from some form of nutritional deficiency. Researchers predict that hundreds of millions more will become undernourished due to the rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Scientists from Harvard’s school of public health found that “crops such as rice and wheat become less nutritious when carbon dioxide levels are higher.” In other words, plants produce fewer nutrients, like iron and zinc, when CO2 levels are high.

The finding is concerning, considering humans tend to get a large portion of the nutrients they need from plants: “63 percent of their protein, 81 percent of their iron, and 68 percent of their zinc,” as the article reports.

Currently, CO2 levels are at around 400 parts per million (ppm). Levels are predicted to increase to 550 ppm by the middle of the century. At that point, the author explains, “175 million people could become deficient in zinc, and 122 million people could become protein-deficient.”

A slight drop in the nutritional value of our food puts current and future populations at risk, explains lead author of the study, Sam Myers.

The areas hit hardest will include India, the Middle East, and South Asia. Women of childbearing age, and children under five are at higher risk of developing iron deficiencies.

The effects of climate change are still unfolding (and will continue to do so for a long time to come). The nutritional value of food is not frequently considered, but just as imperiling to our existence as rising sea levels and increased temperatures.