MSGID: 1:317/3 63e3256b   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    New Zealand one of few island nations with potential to produce enough   
   food in a nuclear winter, researchers say    
      
     Date:   
         February 7, 2023   
     Source:   
         University of Otago   
     Summary:   
         New Zealand is one of only a few island nations that could continue   
         to produce enough food to feed its population in a nuclear winter,   
         researchers have found.   
      
      
         Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email   
   FULL STORY   
   ==========================================================================   
   New Zealand is one of only a few island nations that could continue   
   to produce enough food to feed its population in a nuclear winter,   
   researchers have found.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   In a new study Professor Nick Wilson, from the University of Otago and   
   independent researcher Dr Matt Boyd, from Adapt Research in New Zealand,   
   say five island nations, including New Zealand, could be well placed   
   to continue to produce food despite the reduced sunlight and cooler   
   temperatures caused by soot in the atmosphere following a nuclear war   
   in the Northern Hemisphere.   
      
   Australia (an island continent), Iceland, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands   
   were also likely to have robust food self-sufficiency, even in an extreme   
   nuclear winter.   
      
   Their research is published in the international journal Risk Analysis.   
      
   Professor Wilson says while New Zealand was likely to continue to be   
   able to produce enough food, its production and distribution was still   
   threatened by the country's extreme dependence on imported commodities,   
   such as refined fuel.   
      
   The researchers investigated the impact of abrupt sunlight reducing   
   scenarios caused by nuclear war, super volcano eruptions or asteroid   
   impacts on agricultural production globally. They applied published crop   
   models under 'nuclear winter' conditions to 38 island nations, combining   
   this with other methods to estimate the food calorie supply. They also   
   assessed a range of resilience factors that might protect countries from   
   the impacts of a nuclear winter.   
      
   Dr Boyd says although some other nations would likely be able to produce   
   enough food, other factors, such as the collapse of industry and social   
   functioning placed their resilience in doubt.   
      
   Professor Wilson says the findings are consistent with a 1980s study   
   on the impact of nuclear war on New Zealand, although the country's   
   resilience has declined since then as its dependence on imported diesel   
   and digital infrastructure has grown.   
      
   "Islands such as New Zealand are often very dependent on imports of   
   refined liquid fuel, may lack energy self-sufficiency and are susceptible   
   to breakdowns and shortages of critical commodities. While New Zealand   
   could divert a high proportion of its dairy exports to supply the local   
   market, it lacks the ability to manufacture many replacement parts   
   for farm and food processing machinery."  Dr Boyd says the findings of   
   the study reinforce the precarious position many countries would find   
   themselves in during a global catastrophe.   
      
   "New Zealand has the potential to preserve an industrial society through   
   this kind of catastrophe, but it is not 'plug-and-play'. A decent amount   
   of strategic planning needs to happen and across a long period of time,   
   but this planning would have benefits in dealing with a wide range   
   of extreme risks."  Dr Boyd says the findings show there is a need to   
   analyse nuclear winter and other abrupt sunlight reducing scenarios as   
   part of a comprehensive national risk assessment.   
      
   "We are not aware of any plan for this kind of global catastrophe,   
   including whether priorities for rationing have been considered.   
      
   "With the Government expected to release New Zealand's first National   
   Security Strategy this year it is important that the catastrophic risks   
   associated with abrupt sunlight reducing scenarios do not slip through   
   the cracks."   
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Plants_&_Animals   
                   # Agriculture_and_Food # Food_and_Agriculture # Food   
             o Earth_&_Climate   
                   # Energy_and_the_Environment # Geography #   
                   Renewable_Energy   
             o Science_&_Society   
                   # World_Development # Resource_Shortage #   
                   Security_and_Defense   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Effects_of_nuclear_explosions o Reindeer_(Caribou) o   
             Alpine_Fault o Nuclear_power_plant o Sei_Whale o Chloroplast   
             o Lake_effect_snow o Bean   
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Otago. Note: Content   
   may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Journal Reference:   
      1. Matt Boyd, Nick Wilson. Island refuges for surviving nuclear   
      winter and   
         other abrupt sunlight‐reducing catastrophes. Risk Analysis,   
         2022; DOI: 10.1111/risa.14072   
   ==========================================================================   
      
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230207191603.htm   
      
   --- up 49 weeks, 1 day, 10 hours, 50 minutes   
    * Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)   
   SEEN-BY: 15/0 106/201 114/705 123/120 153/7715 226/30 227/114 229/110   
   SEEN-BY: 229/111 112 113 114 307 317 400 426 428 470 664 700 292/854   
   SEEN-BY: 298/25 305/3 317/3 320/219 396/45   
   PATH: 317/3 229/426