A new report reveals that the prices of popular consumer goods in Australia, including beer, wine and chocolates, will increase due to the severe climate change being experienced in the country.
The report, entitled Appetite for Change, was prepared by Richard Eckard and David Karoly, both of which are climate scientists from the University of Melbourne.
The report looked to explain the effects of the climate change that Australia is currently experiencing. With the changing patterns of rainfall, extreme weather, warmer oceans and advent of diseases related to the climate, consumer goods in Australia will be experiencing effects in terms of quality, production and cost.
A total of 55 popular food items that can be seen in almost any Australian household have been listed under the consumer good that will be affected, or are already currently being affected, by the continued climate change.
Beer, wine and chocolate are among the popular items listed that could have increased prices. In addition, their taste will also change, according to Eckard.
Chocolate, for example, will be affected due to the lower supply of dairy items such as milk as caused by climate change. According to the report, cows are being stressed due to the increased temperature, which results in lower fresh milk yields by up to a massive 40 percent.
Wine grape growing, which is the largest fruit industry in Australia, will also be affected by climate change. Among the regions with Mediterranean climate, where most of the production of grapes for win comes from, 70 percent is expected to become less suitable for growing grapes by 2050. The most affected kinds of wine are Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
"It's definitely a wake up call when you hear that the toast and raspberry jam you have for breakfast, for example, might not be as readily available in 50 years time," Eckard said, reiterating the important of taking steps to address climate change.
Eckard and Karoly hope that the report raises awareness on the severity of the climate change problem and its real world effects on consumers, not only for Australia but for the entire world. The scientists hope that there will be a unified action among countries in battling the phenomenon.
"It makes you appreciate that global warming is not a distant phenomenon but a very real occurrence that is already affecting the things we enjoy in our everyday lives, including the most common of foods we eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner," Eckard added.
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