Global warming, climate change and its threats to sustainable agriculture

Global warming, climate change and environmental degradation constitute the biggest threat to human civilization. Temperature measurement records on land and sea, shrinking polar ice sheets, recession in mountain glaciers, rise in sea level and ocean acidification are manifestation of global temperature increase, estimated at 0.8-1.0°C since 1880. The present day global warming is generally considered a consequence of the accumulation in atmosphere of greenhouse gases, notably CO2, which result from burning of hydrocarbons in industry, power generation, vehicles and domestic use. Global warming would result in melting of glaciers and polar icecaps, unpredictable weather patterns, natural disasters (e.g., floods), disruption of existing communication systems and infrastructure, health issues, sea level rise and unmanageable threat to coastal regions. It can trigger the vicious circle of food insecurity, human migration and conflicts. Climate change can cause unpredictable changes in weather patterns, erosion of soil, desertification of cultivable land, disruption of existing irrigation systems, and reduction of tropical forest cover...