Growing Climate Refugee Crisis in the US and Around the World

The refugees pouring out of Syria and Iraq have focused global attention on migrants however the unfolding human catastrophe will be dwarfed by the coming climate refugee crisis. The issue of climate refugees is an international problem that is already impacting the US. The refugees are streaming from Syria and Iraq was caused in part by climate impacts in the Levant. However, the refugees that streamed out of Syria and Iraq in 2015 is nothing compared to the number of climate refugees we can expect in the years to come.

Climate refugees are people who are forced to leave their homes and their communities due to global warming. The number of people who fall into this category is destined to get far worse in the coming years. Although climate change is not new, warming attributable to human activities is a recent phenomenon.

Video - Food By the Numbers: Feeding our Hungry Planet

With the recent World Food Day event on October 16th, this video from National Geographic reviews the challenges and solutions to feeding the world. By 2050, the world's population will likely increase 35 percent. In this video National Geographic provides some answers to this crisis beyond simply growing more food.

Showing Support for Family Farmers and Sustainable Agriculture

Family farmers are extremely valuable yet they are under siege and need our support. World Food Day 2014 shines a spotlight on the world's 500 million family farmers. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reports that based on data from 93 countries, family farmers account for an average of 80 percent of all holdings, and are the main producers of food that is consumed locally. Family farmers are also sustainable farmers. Sadly family farmers are disappearing at an alarming rate. Family farms that used to be an important source of rural jobs.

As explained in a foodtank article

"The world cannot do without the family farmer," says Amy McMillen, Partnerships and Outreach Coordinator for FAO. "It’s because of the family farmer that we eat a variety of healthy foods every day. And yet, family farmers still make up the majority of poor and hungry people in the world. We must do more to incentivize, celebrate and exponentially improve the lives of family farmers to ensure all people have access to fresh, healthy food."

Infographic - Biodiversity for Family Farming

World Food Day 2014: Assessing US Agricultural Risks and Focusing on Family Farms

October 16th is the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ designated World Food Day. This event was first celebrated thirty three years ago. The theme for 2014 is Family Farming: “Feeding the world, caring for the earth”, drawing global attention to the importance of smallholder farmers. Family farms are key to improving food security and better management of natural resources. As explained by the CGIAR Consortium, "Family farming plays a significant role in reducing poverty and hunger, by providing the household and communities with nutrition rich food and livelihoods."

The Think Eat Save Student Challenge

Sensitizing children to the ecological impacts of food waste is important and the Think.Eat.Save Student Challenge is a great example of an powerful educational project. Vast quantities of food are wasted each year and this phenomenon is sadly a part of many western cultures. To help reorient children to this issue, UNEP has launched a new campaign that calls schools and students to start a wasteless revolution.

The campaign challenges students and to find out how much food gets wasted in their schools. Then students are encouraged to organize a project and take action to reduce or eliminate food waste.

Event - Responsible Business Forum on Food and Agriculture 2014

The Responsible Business Forum on Food and Agriculture, will take place on July 14th & 15th, 2014, at the Shangri-La Hotel in Makati, Manila. Feeding a global population of 9 billion by 2050 will require transformational changes to our farming and agricultural systems, already under pressure from climate change and water scarcity. This year’s Responsible Business Forum on Food and Agriculture is being held in partnership with WWF.

Video - The Rebirth of Food Waste into Fuel in South Korea

In densely populated South Korea food waste is being reborn as methane. Through a process that reduces climate change causing greenhouse gases, the nation is developing new technologies that are transforming daily waste into energy.

New US Farm Bill is Good News for the Environment

A long awaited farm bill is finally set to be passed and it contains good news for farmers looking for protection against crop losses, land conservation, hemp farming, organics, renewable energy, biofuels, biorefineries and biomass. While the bill preserves programs that foster local agriculture, it does not tackle the biggest environmental issue of agriculture's huge carbon footprint which is responsible for around 33 percent of US carbon emissions. It specifically ignores addressing the massive footprint of agricultural fertilizers and factory farms.

Infographics: Population, Food, Agriculture, Water, GHGs and Solutions (World Resources Institute)

Video - Overfishing: Current Levels of Fishing are Unsustainable and Jeopardize the Future of this Important Food Source

Around 90 million tons of fish are removed from the world's oceans every year. But the seemingly inexhaustible food source is proving finite. More and more fish species are disappearing. And it's no wonder, because up to ninety percent of each catch is thrown over board again as worthless by-catch. This documentary accompanies scientists, fishermen and fish processing factories. It reveals the sometimes threatening and sometimes unexpected links in overfishing and addresses real solutions to rescue the oceans.

Event - Creating a GMO-Free Holiday

Creating a GMO-Free Holiday will take place on December 19, 2013, from 6:30 pm - 8 pm at Collingswood Library, 771 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood, New Jersey. GMO Free NJ meets to explore ways to avoid the genetically modified organisms that are in our food supply.

From 7-8, they will discuss creating a GMO free holiday, the latest on GMO labeling legislation and other projects.

Event - Building Climate Solutions

Building Climate Solutions will take place on January 28-30, 2014 in Washington, DC. The release of the IPCC report on September 27th highlights critical issues to be addressed at the Conference. Join over 1,200 key individuals from many fields of sciences and engineering, government and policy, business and civil society to advance solutions to climate change.

Event - Sustainable Ag Expo

The 9th Sustainable Ag Expo will take place on November 18-19, 2013 at the Madonna Inn Expo Center in San Luis Obispo, California.

This event provides a unique opportunity for farmers, ag professionals, and pest control advisors representing a variety of operations to learn about the latest in farming research, resource issues, and business trends related to sustainable agriculture. This two-day educational meeting provides ample continuing education credits, an innovative trade show, and an exhibitor showcase.

Video - Sustainable Meat: Trailer from the Documentary "American Meat"

American Meat, is a feature documentary about a grass-roots revolution in sustainable farming. This film explains how America arrived at its current industrial system, and shows you the feedlots and confinement houses, not through hidden cameras but through the eyes of the farmers who live and work there. The story shifts to the burgeoning movement of farmers, chefs and everyday folks.

Video - Climate Refugee Campaign

Related Articles
Climate Refugee Campaign: Postcards from the Frontlines
What is Environmental Migration and Who are Climate Refugees
Video - Beyond Environmental Refuge
Video - Climate Refugees the Documentary

Climate Refugee Campaign: Postcards from the Frontlines

On September 25, 2013, the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), in collaboration with ByPost and with the support of Dame Vivienne Westwood and Gillian Anderson, launched a campaign to recognize and protect climate change refugees worldwide. EJF has been working to secure recognition and protection for climate refugees since 2009. Despite their efforts there is presently no recognition of climate refugees by any international law.

Event and Seminar - GMO Labeling at the Natural Products Expo and All Things Organic

The event and seminar GMO Labeling at the Natural Products Expo and All Things Organic takes place on Friday, September 27, 2013, 10:00 - 11:00 am EDT at the Baltimore Convention Center, Room 319. Washington State's I-522, the Federal Just Label It effort and Lessons Learned from California's Prop. 37 GMO labeling advocates are rallying to support Yes on 522, the People's Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act, in Washington State.

Washington's I-522 is the only GMO labeling bill heading to voters this fall, and is a critical front in the battle to label genetically engineered foods. Learn how I-522 can withstand opposition from big biotech and the junk food industry, which considers the I-522 GMO labeling bill a serious threat and has already raised more than $11 million to defeat it. Also, hear from leaders about lessons learned from California’s Prop. 37 and what’s happening on a federal level to require labeling of genetically engineered foods.

Agricultural Costs of Climate Change, Land Degradation and Water Scarcity

According to one study the combined impacts of Climate change, land degradation and water scarcity could cost as much as $8 trillion in agriculture assets each year. This is the finding of a study from the University of Oxford’s Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment.

Agricultural impacts of climate change, land degradation and water scarcity are complicated by increased production. This increased production is due to growing investment in agriculture which is intended to capitalize on high commodity prices. According to the Oxford Smith School study capital stock could lose between $4.4 trillion and $8 trillion in a single year.

Invitation to Comment on the USDA GHG Climate Report

A call for comments on the recent USDA greenhouse gas (GHG) climate report titled, Science-Based Methods for Entity-Scale Quantification of Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks from Agriculture and Forestry Practices, and was published by the Climate Change Program Office of the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Office of the Chief Economist.

The report is the work of 38 scientists from across academia, USDA and the federal government. These researchers are experts in GHG estimation in the cropland, grazing land, livestock and forest management sectors.

The report outlines a set of consensus methods for quantifying GHG emissions and carbon storage at the local farm, ranch or forest scale. The methods reviewed have undergone peer review and exhibit both scientific rigor and cost effectiveness.