Spain has Paella; France has Pot-au-feu; and The United States has the hamburger. May 28th is National Hamburger Day- and not only do we pride ourselves in this simplistic meal, but many would argue that we would unambiguously not be America without it.
However, is it possible that we may have to test this arguments validity sooner than we thought?
Recent studies have shown a frightening pattern in climate change, which could significantly change the access we have to creating our beloved hamburger. The impact that this change in climate is making on our cattle and crops could mean the end of National Hamburger Days in the United States for good.
The most important aspect of the hamburger that is being affected is the beef. Just as it is a concern for humankind, cattle is greatly affected by the rise in temperatures and increased presence of droughts. These patterns show the tremendous likelihood for an increase in the intensity of droughts due to the rising global temperature, which is already proving to lead to heat stress. While more obviously the increase in droughts has led to greatly affect grazing lands, additionally this heat stress increases the possibility for disease in the cattle- leaving less and less cows available to provide the hamburgers most important ingredient.
The next vital ingredient in our national dish that is being greatly affected is the bun- more specifically being wheat. According to NASA’s department of Global Climate Change, the change in crop fields yield on account of projected increases in temperature, shifts in rainfall patterns and elevated surface carbon dioxide concentrations due to human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. In contrast from the deficiency that this will cause in terms the ability to grow maize/corn, this rise of temperature actually expands the range of growth for wheat- as the rise in temperatures directly correlates to rainfall patterns. With that being said however, when this rainfall inevitably levels off, it will simply lead to a severe water shortage in the future.
Although climate change is the most concerning long-term threat, the war in Ukraine is also playing a role in accessibility to these products, and those related. Food prices all around the globe have undergone a significant increase due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine- with wheat being at the forefront. The Russian-Ukraine War has specifically disrupted Black Sea exports from a region that provides more than 1/4 of the worlds wheat exports. Although according to Joseph Glauber the lack of global supplies created high prices even prior to the invasion, the invasion has only heightened this spike in prices.
Putting a halt to the Russian-Ukraine War might be out of the realm of “doing our part”, the chilling predicted results due to current climate change patterns is not. If change is not implemented quickly, the loss of our adored hamburger will be the least of our problems.
This blog post is part of the CIMA Law Group blog. If you are located in Arizona and are seeking legal services, CIMA Law Group specializes in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Government Relations.
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