Challenges of global warming – French wines

The steady rise in global temperatures is threatening vineyards around Bordeaux that produce some of the most esteemed and expensive wines on earth. Higher temperatures cause grapes to ripen earlier, and summer droughts are detrimental to the vine's growth process. The consequences of global warming are already being felt. Harvest season already comes ten days earlier than before in almost all wine regions, says the experts.

Grape growers began to notice unusual patterns above-and-beyond the region's unpredictable weather nearly three decades ago, well before scientists began to sound the climate change alarm. Experts say that the region may be unsuitable for wine-growing by 2050. Winegrowers are already switching to heat-resistant grape varieties as a precaution.

Not everyone is aware that wine production also emits large quantities of CO2, the main gas responsible for climate change. The greenhouse gas, CO2 is produced by fermenting grapes. Efforts are on to trap, convert the CO2 into something solid and store it deep underground.

If every industry thinks the same way - to trap the GHG emissions and store them instead of releasing into the environment - we can delay the onset of climate change a little more.