Half of all cotton growing regions face severe climate risks by 2040 if carbon emissions continue to soar - Seite 3

Phil Townsend, Senior Technical Manager - Environmental Sustainability, Primark, said: “Primark is working hard to scale up its Sustainable Cotton Programme and to accelerate decarbonisation across our supply chain. However, we recognise we need to work with the industry to drive collective action on climate adaptation – while ensuring that cotton producers and their communities don’t get left behind. The new data from Cotton 2040 helps us all to understand the climate risks to our supply chains and develop responsible responses.”

“Investing in climate justice and socio-economic resilience must be at the heart of the cotton sector’s efforts,” said Dr Uren. “Now is the time to proactively plant the seeds for the deep transformation needed to stay below 1.5°C and deliver a just, regenerative and resilient global cotton industry.”

Methodology

This study provides a high-level analysis of physical climate risks across global cotton growing regions for the 2040s under a high emission scenario (RCP 8.5, equivalent to 4.3°C warming by 2081-2100) [4]. This is done by using the latest, internationally recognised climate projections from an ensemble of global circulation models to capture an array of projected climate hazards. These hazards are tailored specifically to cotton’s key climate sensitivities and thresholds based on a thorough literature review and expert advice. Relative risk scores have been produced for each climate hazard, identifying cotton growing regions exposed to very low to very high climate risk relative.

The climate indicators and climate-related hazards covered were: length of the cotton growing season (effective growing degree days); heat stress; total rainfall during the cotton growing season; extreme rainfall events; long-term drought; short-term drought; fluvial flooding; coastal flooding; damaging winds; storms; wildfire; and landslides.

Access the reports, interactive Climate Risk Explorer tool supporting resources here: https://www.acclimatise.uk.com/collaborations/cotton-2040/

Additional partner quotes

Kai Hughes, Executive Director, International Cotton Advisory Council (ICAC), said: “Cotton is the world’s most widely produced natural fibre and touches all of our lives every day. And yet, the cotton sector is currently unprepared for the climate crisis, and many of the pre-existing vulnerabilities and inequalities in its supply chains are likely to be intensified and accelerated. This work by Cotton 2040 is an important step in improving the sector’s resilience and making it truly future-fit.”