https://www.ecowatch.com/insect-pests-crop-yields-2600805242.html

Carbon Brief
Aug. 31, 2018 01:56PM EST
David Cornwell / Flickr / Cc By-Nc-Nd 2.0

By Daisy Dunne

Global warming could increase both the number and appetite of insect pests, new research finds, which could pose a serious threat to global crop production.

The study finds that global warming of 2C above pre-industrial levels—which is the limit set by the Paris agreement—could cause pest-related yield losses from wheat, rice and maize to increase by 46 percent, 19 percent and 31 percent, respectively.

And each additional degree of temperature rise could cause yield losses from insect pests to increase by a further 10-25 percent, the research shows.

Losses from pest infestation are likely to be largest in China, the U.S. and France—three of the world’s most important grain producers, according to the findings.

Soaring Swarms
At present, around 10-16 percent of global crop production is lost to pests—including insects, fungi…