Protein deficiency due to CO2 emissions

If CO2 emissions continue to rise as forecast, the populations of 18 countries will lose more than five percent of their dietary protein by 2050. This is the conclusion of a study by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health have come. This is due to a decline in the nutritional value of rice, wheat and other staple foods. Researchers estimate that an additional 150 million people will be at risk of protein deficiency due to increased CO2 levels in the atmosphere. According to research director Samuel Myers, this study underscores the need for countries at highest risk to actively monitor food quality. Above all, he said, it is necessary to reduce man-made CO2 emissions.

Globally, 76 percent of people get most of their daily protein from plants. To estimate the existing and future risk of protein deficiency, the researchers combined data from experiments in which crops were exposed to high concentrations of CO2 with global nutrition information from the United Nations and data on income inequality and demographics. At elevated CO2 concentrations, the protein content of rice, wheat, barley and potatoes dropped by 7.6 and 7.8, and 14.1 and 6.4 percent, respectively.

Africa and Asia particularly affected

The research findings point to continuing challenges for sub-Saharan Africa. Millions of people there already suffer from protein deficiency. Major problems are expected for South Asia. This includes India, where rice and wheat provide much of the daily protein. India could lose 5.3 percent of the protein in a standard diet. This would put 53 million people at new risk of protein deficiency. The research findings were published in Environmental Health Perspectives published.

Iron deficiency is also on the rise

Myers is co-author of another study. It found that CO2-induced reductions in iron content in staple foods are also likely to exacerbate the world's existing iron deficiency problem. At highest risk globally are 354 million children under five and 1.06 billion women of childbearing age. South Asia and North Africa are particularly affected. In these regions, anemia is already widespread. More than 3.8 percent of dietary iron is expected to be lost due to these CO2 impacts. Myers also co-authored a study back in 2015 that indicated increased CO2 emissions will likely lead to zinc deficiency in about 200 million people.

Source: Press release