Worst Drought in Half-Century Shrivels the Wheat Belt of China

Northern China, which provides three fifths of the nation's crops, is suffering the worst drought in 50 years. “Water supplies have been drying up in northern China for decades, the result of pervasive overuse and waste,” reports Michael Wines for the New York Times about the world's most populated country that controls growth with a one-child policy. “The drought is peaking as millions of migrant workers rendered jobless by factory closings and construction shutdowns are returning from urban areas to places where farming is the main source of income.” The government expresses concern that rising unemployment and food prices could stir unrest, and takes steps to assist with wells, pumps and rockets to coax rain from clouds. But farmers as well as the urban dwellers of Beijing, whose snowfall has fallen off sharply in recent years, recognize the need for action on long-term policies to address climate change. – YaleGlobal