05. CONTRIBUTION OF CAROB IN THE PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT
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Climate change
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5.1 Climate change and its effects on agriculture
NIKOS MICHALOPOULOS
Director of the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development (IEPBA), National Observatory of Athens (EAA) and Vice President of EAA Professor of Environmental Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete
It is widely accepted by the scientific community that during the last 150 years our planet is undergoing a systematic increase in temperature (by about 1 degree Celsius) which is more pronounced in the last 50 years (IPCC, 2018). At the same time, the Mediterranean and especially the Eastern region has been warming at almost twice the rate compared to the rest of the planet, for the last 40 years. The above trend is expected to continue until the end of the century. For Greece the climate models for an “average” scenario predict an increase in temperature to 3.5-4οC with a decrease in rainfall by about 30% (with emphasis on the southeast mainland Greece and in Crete).
Given the long lifetime of the greenhouse gases, it is understandable that even if emissions would stop today, it will take a reasonable amount of time (a few decades) for this reduction to be “perceived”. It is therefore necessary to take immediate action in all sectors expected to be affected by the climate crisis, in order to make adjustments.
For our country, agriculture is one of the first sectors to be affected and areas such as Crete are already “feeling” the effects of the climate crisis. Given the increase in temperature and decrease in rainfall, it is necessary to turn to new, hardy crops, such as the carob, a plant known in Crete since ancient times.
5.1 Climate change and its effects on agriculture
NIKOS MICHALOPOULOS
Director of the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development (IEPBA), National Observatory of Athens (EAA) and Vice President of EAA Professor of Environmental Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete
It is widely accepted by the scientific community that during the last 150 years our planet is undergoing a systematic increase in temperature (by about 1 degree Celsius) which is more pronounced in the last 50 years (IPCC, 2018). At the same time, the Mediterranean and especially the Eastern region has been warming at almost twice the rate compared to the rest of the planet, for the last 40 years. The above trend is expected to continue until the end of the century. For Greece the climate models for an “average” scenario predict an increase in temperature to 3.5-4οC with a decrease in rainfall by about 30% (with emphasis on the southeast mainland Greece and in Crete).
Given the long lifetime of the greenhouse gases, it is understandable that even if emissions would stop today, it will take a reasonable amount of time (a few decades) for this reduction to be “perceived”. It is therefore necessary to take immediate action in all sectors expected to be affected by the climate crisis, in order to make adjustments.
For our country, agriculture is one of the first sectors to be affected and areas such as Crete are already “feeling” the effects of the climate crisis. Given the increase in temperature and decrease in rainfall, it is necessary to turn to new, hardy crops, such as the carob, a plant known in Crete since ancient times.
