Global Climate Change and Agriculture: An Economic Perspective

摘要

Climate change and related global concerns dominate the current environmental agenda as evidenced by the recent wave of articles, symposia, workshops, and other scientific and lay forms dealing with the issue. While most atmospheric scientists agree that a climate change 'signal' has yet to be detected, concern over potential climate change arising from increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other 'greenhouse' gases is motivating substantial funding increases for such research. Climate change is thus likely to be a major research and policy issue well into the next decade. Scientific interest in climate changes is not a recent phenomenon; research on the relationship between CO2, climate and man dates back at least to 1895. Despite substantial uncertainties in the understanding of climate change cause and effects, a scientific consensus has emerged about some aspects of the phenomenon: CO2 and other trace gases are increasing, and these increases will at some point alter the world's climate. (Copyright (c) 1989 American Agricultural Economics Association.)