My research conclusion
My original hypothesis states that climate change is changing the viticulture of France due to the sensitive process of wine making. After this experience, not only my hypothesis remains invariable, I've gathered ample evidences to prove that French wines will no longer come from their namesake regions in the next decade. That's because global warming is altering the growing conditions in wine-producing regions, and for every region it will result in changes to the alcohol, acid, sugar, tannins and colour in wine.
Vineyards are now taking action. The wine sector of France is buying up land in places like southern England as it confronts the need simultaneously to reduce risks of yield losses and continue to produce the world's leading wines. Given that most grapevines produce fruit for 25 to 50 years, grape-growers and wine-makers must consider what to plant, where to plant, and how to manage their vineyards in the long term. Wine producers will struggle to adjust the quality of their wine since temperature change and precipitation affects alcohol, acidity and colour. In the next decade, a region like Bordeaux in France will have a compressed growing season, and extreme events such as heat waves, which shut down photosynthesis, and hail storms, which can ruin production in a matter of minutes.
There are vineyards that will be less affected by climate change. For instance, vineyards at higher altitudes and near the ocean will benefit from more consistent growing seasons and growing days. Despite the emergence of current research on climate science, businesses are just now beginning to apply climate research to their investment decisions. This example just goes to show that public awareness and climate science education are imperative for maintaining cultral heritage.
The interconnected systems of climate change are intricate. Therefore it requires our mindful attention and protection. If this problem occurs in Europe, it can certainly happen in the US. Global waming could significantly alter US wine industry in the next decade.
CLIMATE ACTION
After the research, I was invited to a conference in Decemeber called COP21 which is 6th annual sustainability forum. COP represents the international political response to climate change. The goal of this organization is to unify an international effort to reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases that would interfere with the climate system. The UNFCCC which entered into force on 21 March 1994, now has a near-universal membership of 195 parties. In 2015, France will be hosting the conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change with the aim of keeping global warming below 2°C. France will therefore be playing a leading international role to facilitate the conversation.
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