CO2 Reduces Crop Nutrition

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide is lowering the concentrations of vitamins and minerals in staple crops — not by reducing yields alone but by changing plant physiology so foods contain less iron, zinc, protein and other nutrients. A recent meta‑analysis measured an average 3.2% decline in nutrient density since the late 1980s and projects that continued CO2 increases could push hundreds of millions more people into deficiency. — This reframes climate policy as a food‑and‑health intervention: reducing emissions is also a nutritional security policy, and adaptation must target micronutrient resilience in agriculture and public health systems.