Why 2013 will be a year of crisis

www.cnn.com...

(CNN) -- Prediction: 2013 will be a year of serious global crisis. That crisis is predictable, and in fact has already begun. It will inescapably confront the next president of the United States. Yet this emerging crisis got not a mention at the Republican National Convention in Tampa. We'll see if the Democrats do better.
The crisis originates in this summer's extreme weather. Almost 80% of the continental United States experienced drought conditions. Russia and Australia experienced drought as well.
The drought has ruined key crops. The corn harvest is expected to drop to the lowest level since 1995. In just July, prices for corn and wheat jumped about 25% each, prices for soybeans about 17%.

And if food prices surge again? China is especially vulnerable to food cost inflation. In just one month, July 2011, the cost of living jumped 6.5%. Inflation happily subsided over the course of 2012. Springtime hopes for a bumper U.S. grain crop in 2012 enabled the Chinese central bank to ease credit in the earlier part of the summer. Now the Chinese authorities will face some tough choices over what to do next.

Will 2013 bring us social turmoil in Brazil, strikes in China or revolution in Pakistan? The answer can probably be read in the price indexes of the commodities exchanges -- and it is anything but reassuring.

we really dont see the effect of a drought or massive failed crops until the year after. i live in the heartland of the usa and all this talk about the crops being destroyed is no bull. i drove across iowa and nebraska a month ago and all i saw was yellow corn stalks.

it wouldnt be a bad idea to seriously consider stalking up on rice and beans. it could be a bumpy ride in the near future.

here are the problems that arise from a serious drought.

library.thinkquest.org...

Economic

- Loss of national economic growth, slowing down of economic development
- Damage to crop quality, less food production
- Increase in food prices
- Increased importation of food (higher costs)
- Insect infestation
- Plant disease
- Loss from dairy and livestock production

Environmental

- Increased desertification - Damage to animal species
- Reduction and degradation of fish and wildlife habitat
- Lack of feed and drinking water
- Disease

Social

- Food shortages
- Loss of human life from food shortages, heat, suicides, violence
- Mental and physical stress
- Water user conflicts
- Political conflicts
- Social unrest

just to list a few

Agreed, this is getting serious. In Michigan, we've had wildfires break out around where I live, destroying crops. I've been here for 17 years and have never witnessed a wildfire in my area until now.

I'm also under the impression that, due to the immense loss of Arctic ice, that we'll be having a pretty harsh winter.

Time will tell.

Peace.

On the bright side. At least someone is looking past the 2012 doom and gloom.

I'm going to take a flip side to this one if you don't mind, EG. In my assessment, "civilization" as we know it is an ongoing state of crisis

I do agree that crops are messed, but how much excess do we currently have of food? We subsidize corn to produce ethanol...that's actually been stopped recently due to the crop failures, correct? So then we have an incredible amount of waste in western civilization...especially in the states...

What I see for next year is changing the way we consume our foods. Smaller portions, less wasting good food, etc..

Prices will rise, and people will adapt....until they can't.

I personally believe that food/water shortages (due to AGW) will be what starts the downward spiral and ends civilization as we know it, but also think we're a bit far off from that point. Maybe in a decade or two, but probably not any year soon.

wanna see how bad the problem is in the usa?



not good!

Australia hasn't been in a drought this year.. Don't know where they are getting their information but it has been wet all year here... If anything, there is too much water here right now.

Originally posted by DarknStormy
Australia hasn't been in a drought this year.. Don't know where they are getting their information but it has been wet all year here... If anything, there is too much water here right now.

im not from australia so your opinion matters way more than mine. maybe this is what they mean by talking about australias drought.

Weatherwatch: Australia's 'big drought' officially over after a decade
www.guardian.co.uk...

The last remaining areas of New South Wales have been declared free from drought, officially ending Australia's "Big Dry" after almost a decade. But the problems may only be starting.

what are australias major food exports?

Yes I too hear that 2013 will be quite a rough ride, with the food situation, war talk, and Iran v Israel situation, banks going bad in the UK and other places, the worst thing is that how will the west get on through all this with a bloke in the White house in a second term (God heap us he wont) who has very little knowledge of western people, little common sense on Israel being a long term friend of America not an enemy as he thinks, we in the NATO countrys need a good strong USA leader (not seen for 4 years) who can lead from the front along side people who like America not Muslim only people as Obama does, he is so anti west and anti Israel he makes us Brits scream that we have had it up to our teeth with him and Muslim brothers.
Please American people, do please put him on a boat back hime for all our sakes.

I'm sure the 1% have this situation all figured out. Just sit back and relax. I think i see a future in selling water. Waiter, please get me an ice filled glass of pure water. he,he,he,he. Never let this crisis go to waste, thats it, ill sell water in these times of crisis. What profits i see. Water GOLD.

reply to post by elitegamer23


Yeah, we have just come out of a major drought. By the sounds of it, similar to what you guys are in for... But for the last couple of years, things have been ok here. Don't know about our Exports etc, but I find it hard that they would be any worse than what they were 5-9 years ago. Our farmers were losing out and also got handouts from the government to give them a hand also when they couldn't afford water etc.

When we were going through our drought you would drive down any road and everything would be dust to dry.. These days though, everything is back to green.. Summer is around the corner so I guess we will see how things pan out then. Apart from that, things seem ok here, but apparently the thing that might bite us in the butt is our economy. I heard that some European has predicted that a recession is around the corner here even though there is not much information coming out of the government. have to wait and see...

reply to post by elitegamer23


It's not only affecting the costs of crops but the cost of beef and poultry already. I went to the grocery store 2 days ago and the price of a whole chicken had gone up over $2. I am afraid of what the repercussions of all the bad weather conditions are going to be by this time next year.

Originally posted by littled16
reply to post by elitegamer23

 

It's not only affecting the costs of crops but the cost of beef and poultry already. I went to the grocery store 2 days ago and the price of a whole chicken had gone up over $2. I am afraid of what the repercussions of all the bad weather conditions are going to be by this time next year.

yeah the animals need food just as much as we do so this affects the price of everything.

i might have a friend shoot a deer for me this year and then pay to process it so ill have some extra protein in the freezer.

reply to post by elitegamer23


I guess we are lucky- bow season opens in just a few weeks! I defrosted my freezer last week in preparation. I feel for people who don't hunt or have friends who hunt though!

reply to post by elitegamer23


Good work. ...This is an important issue - hope ATSers take your advice about stocking up on dried food. And pray the drinking water supply holds.

We don't see it till the year after?
Speak for yourself.

OJ is 5 bucks where I live! Its more expensive than gasoline!
A dinosaur had to die 60 million years ago and the oil has to be refined into a cleaner more efiicient fuel, and that costs us less than a guy squeezing a dam orange.

Draught has instantaneous negative effects, no doubt.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

I can tell you didnt get the memo...

Mayans said there wont be a 2013...
Another FAIL prediction on this one.
Perhaps...?

For people who are thinking food shortages will come to the U.S. :

*Do you realize how much food we export

*Do you realize how much food we waste every day

*Do you realize how large our portions and daily caloric consumption is compared to most other countries


Let's suppose that a dollar collapse coincides with global food insecurity due to various crops being damaged in key areas. What happens? We fend for ourselves. Government takes over industry., and a mandate is made to stop all food exports. The military secures the cities, and the local, state, and federal authority hand out food and water in rations.

We have such an abundance of food in this country that it's just ridiculous. If we truly needed to, we could create policies to flip a lot of the land that has been subsidized NOT to be used for food production into food production. Within a year whatever hard times came about would be resolved.

Just not happening here, people.