Famous French cheeses at risk from climate change

Paris: Global warming is threatening the production of some of France's most famed cheeses because increasingly frequent extreme weather is affecting how much fresh local grass cows eat.

Fourme d'Ambert blue-veined French cheese from the
region of Auvergne is among the cheeses at risk.

Producers say it is becoming physically impossible to respect appellation rules imposed on a number of cheeses that limit the amount of dry hay livestock can consume.

And they are increasingly having to ask French food authorities to relax those strict conditions so they are allowed to sell their cheeses.

Read the story from The Age by Henry Samuel - “Famous French cheeses at risk from climate change.”

United Nations: Climate change is affecting every country

Climate change is now affecting every country on every continent.

It is disrupting national economies and affecting lives, costing people, communities and countries dearly today and even more tomorrow.

People are experiencing the significant impacts of climate change, which include changing weather patterns, rising sea level, and more extreme weather events.

The greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are driving climate change and continue to rise.

They are now at their highest levels in history.

Read the JPRATT27 story - “United Nations: Climate change is effecting every country."

This California teen studies climate data after school

Some high school students find data analysis boring, but one California teen loves it.

McGregor: “When I get home, I spend my free time creating different graphs and reports on how climate change is affecting southern California.”

Studying climate data after school.

That’s high school student Edgar McGregor. When he first saw graphs of regional climate change, he was struck by the sharp rise in temperatures, especially over the past decade. So he began digging into climate data, looking at …

McGregor: “… which months are changing more than others. Is one month getting drier while another is getting wetter? Just to kind of understand what I can expect when I’m in my 60s, 70s, and 80s.”

Read the Yale Climate Connections story - “This California teen studies climate data after school.”

Climate Change already Damaging Health of Millions

The findings, outlined in The Lancet medical journal, demonstrate the various ways climate change is already affecting the health of people across the planet.

The report highlights the urgent
need to cut greenhouse gas
 emissions

Leading doctors, academics and policy professionals from 24 organisations – including the University of Exeter – worked on the report.

“Human health is vulnerable to climate change and associated changes in air quality,” said Professor Peter Cox, from the University of Exeter.

“This vulnerability is exacerbated by economic inequalities and ageing populations.

“Action to halt climate change is a huge opportunity to improve human health and wellbeing.”

Read the Science and Technology Research News story - “Climate Change already Damaging Health of Millions.”

Some parts of Australia are really crying out for a bit of rain’ as crops turn blue

The severe dry conditions affecting grain growing districts across Australia are expected to rob crops of potential and are threatening to put an unwelcome dent in the nation's grain production this season.

In parts of NSW, some farmers have watched on as some of their grain crops, in need of moisture, have turned blue.

Victoria is on track for its driest June-July on record, while Western Australia – the nation's biggest grain producer – is facing its second driest June-July on record.

After record national grain production last year put a floor under returns to farmers, despite low prices, the benefits of massive production won't be repeated this year. The dry conditions recently caused NAB to wind back its national wheat crop forecast, to 23.3 million tonnes.

And although the final month of winter is about to begin, reasonable rainfall is not on the horizon. In fact, northern Victoria has just experienced a bizarre burst of heat, with the temperature hitting 26.8 degrees at Mildura on Saturday.

Read Darren Gray’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “‘Some parts of Australia are really crying out for a bit of rain’ as crops turn blue.”