{"id":9015,"date":"2016-11-03T19:38:34","date_gmt":"2016-11-03T23:38:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/is-french-most-cherished-tradition-at-threat-because-of-climate-change\/"},"modified":"2016-11-03T19:38:34","modified_gmt":"2016-11-03T23:38:34","slug":"is-french-most-cherished-tradition-at-threat-because-of-climate-change","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/is-french-most-cherished-tradition-at-threat-because-of-climate-change\/","title":{"rendered":"Is French most cherished tradition at threat because of Climate Change?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some of the most famous wines, that we enjoy drinking in France but also everywhere else in the world have entered a phase of transition that could lead to significant changes in their taste, acidity and alcoholic levels over the coming decades.<\/p>\n

Indeed, the specificities of wines coming from different varieties and Chateaux is the result of complex combination of soil composition, weather conditions (temperature, light, moisture) and manufacturing process.<\/p>\n

In the last five years only, France has known three of its warmest years since 1900 (2011, 2014 and 2015)[i]<\/a> and received less than 90% of its average precipitation in 2015 (one of the ten driest years in the last fifty years)[ii]<\/a>. Looking at the Bordeaux region, the temperature has increased by one degree Celsius on average since the 1980s[iii]<\/a>. The main impact of global warming on the wine production is the acceleration of the grapes ripeness process (two to three weeks less than 30 years ago). In an environment where the grapes are exposed to too much light and to high temperatures, they tend to reach what winemaker called \u201csugar ripeness\u201d (ideal sugar level for wines to get to right level of alcohol and acidity) before the physiological ripeness (when the harvest should occur to get the right level of astringency).[iv]<\/a><\/p>\n

The shortening of the harvesting process is diminishing the quality of the wine and if the temperatures keep increasing at the current rate, the surface area suitable for viticulture could significantly decrease. According to a study lead by Lee Hannah in 2013[v]<\/a> (see exhibit 1 and 2), under the RCP (Representative Concentration Pathways)[vi]<\/a> 4.5 scenario, the suitable area in Mediterranean countries would diminishes by 60% and by 73% under the RCP 8.5 scenario, with French regions of Bordeaux and Rh\u00f4ne being extremely affected.<\/p>\n

\"Exhibit<\/a>
Exhibit 1:<\/span> Global change in viticulture suitability in Europe under RCP 8.5 scenario. Change in suitability is shown between current and 2050 time periods. Areas with current suitability that decreases by mid-century are indicated in red. Areas with current suitability that is retained are indicated in light green and dark green, whereas areas not suitable in the current time period but that will be suitable in the future are shown in light blue and dark blue.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Exhibit<\/a>
Exhibit 2: Net viticulture suitability change in major wine-producing regions. Box plots show median values and quantiles of change in area suitable for viticulture projected for RCP 8.5 (green) and RCP 4.5 (blue)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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For the purpose of this study, I have selected a Chateau from the Bordeaux region that has been a precursor in trying to tackle the impact of climate change on the quality of their wine. Since 2008, The Chateau Suau has transformed its production process to match the standards of the French organic agriculture. Since then, the Chateau Suau uses only pure natural products for its\u00a0entire process. Hence, common winery diseases are no longer treated with pesticides but with minerals such as copper and sulphide[vii]<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The main benefit of organic viticulture is that it stimulates the soil biological activity and improves its physicochemical properties leading to an enhanced fertility with a higher soil stability[viii]<\/a>. While this technique certainly provides the Chateau Suau with a competitive advantage and a higher resistance to climate change, organic production will unfortunately not be enough if the scenarios described previously were to occur.<\/p>\n

Additional measures that can be considered are as follow.<\/p>\n