The claim: Climate change has only had 'positive effects' on global food production

An Oct. 20 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) includes a graph that shows global wheat, rice and coarse grain production has increased along with global temperatures and atmospheric CO2 levels since the 1960s.

"World grain production and amount harvested per acre show that crop and food production has steadily increased, with only positive effects from our changing climate," reads part of the post's caption. "If more CO2 and warmer weather were going to cause a decline in world-wide food production, should there not have been some recognizable negative effects by now?"

The post was shared more than 2,000 times in six weeks.

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Our rating: False

Studies show that climate change has had "recognizable negative effects" on global food production. While CO2 fertilization can increase crop yields in some species, increases in global grain production are mostly due to changes in agricultural technologies and an increase in cultivated land area, researchers told USA TODAY.

Clear negative impacts of climate change on global food production

Greenhouse gases generated by human activity have been accumulating in the atmosphere for decades and have caused changes in Earth's climate, including warmer temperatures and shifting weather patterns. Humans have increased the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere by...

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