6 NOVEMBER 2019
Rain, Early Snows Delay US Harvest in Latest Blow to Farmers
The northern regions of the US grain belt have experienced excessive autumn rains and an October snowstorm, which have further delayed soy and corn harvests. Floods and heavy rainfall earlier in 2019 delayed the planting of corn and soybeans in the Midwest. While the US is the largest producer of corn and the second-largest producer of soybeans, it is unlikely that a decline in annual production will have a significant effect on global food stocks. Grain production is expected to remain stable in other major growing regions, reducing or possibly offsetting the effect of any potential decline in US production.
World Bank can be Key Player in Reaching Final Deal over Nile Dam
The Egyptian, Sudanese and Ethiopian foreign ministers are meeting in Washington on 6 November to discuss the impasse in negotiations around the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
World Bank officials will also be in attendance. The World Bank was instrumental in the creation of the Indus Water Treaty, which provides a water-sharing framework between Pakistan and India. Egypt has requested external, impartial mediation and advice on the dispute; the World Bank is best placed to provide it.
Despite a Warmer, Wetter World, There may be Less Water Available for Human Use
New modelling suggests that, due to warmer global temperatures, plants might consume more water than they currently do. Climate scientists have long thought that warmer temperatures would possibly lead to lower water consumption by plants. They posited that plants would retain more water by closing the pores on their leaves during the hottest parts of the day, and reduce their water consumption in the process. That would leave more water in soils and streams for use elsewhere. While that might still be the case, it is also likely that growing seasons will become longer as temperatures rise, meaning that plants could increase their water consumption.
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6 NOVEMBER 2019
Rain, Early Snows Delay US Harvest in Latest Blow to Farmers
The northern regions of the US grain belt have experienced excessive autumn rains and an October snowstorm, which have further delayed soy and corn harvests. Floods and heavy rainfall earlier in 2019 delayed the planting of corn and soybeans in the Midwest. While the US is the largest producer of corn and the second-largest producer of soybeans, it is unlikely that a decline in annual production will have a significant effect on global food stocks. Grain production is expected to remain stable in other major growing regions, reducing or possibly offsetting the effect of any potential decline in US production.
World Bank can be Key Player in Reaching Final Deal over Nile Dam
The Egyptian, Sudanese and Ethiopian foreign ministers are meeting in Washington on 6 November to discuss the impasse in negotiations around the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
World Bank officials will also be in attendance. The World Bank was instrumental in the creation of the Indus Water Treaty, which provides a water-sharing framework between Pakistan and India. Egypt has requested external, impartial mediation and advice on the dispute; the World Bank is best placed to provide it.
Despite a Warmer, Wetter World, There may be Less Water Available for Human Use
New modelling suggests that, due to warmer global temperatures, plants might consume more water than they currently do. Climate scientists have long thought that warmer temperatures would possibly lead to lower water consumption by plants. They posited that plants would retain more water by closing the pores on their leaves during the hottest parts of the day, and reduce their water consumption in the process. That would leave more water in soils and streams for use elsewhere. While that might still be the case, it is also likely that growing seasons will become longer as temperatures rise, meaning that plants could increase their water consumption.
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