Study claims climate change could hit 64% of Brazilian cotton

LONDON – Brazil could lose up to 64 per cent of its cotton-growing land by the end of the century due to climate change, according to a new study that paints a worrying picture for the world’s largest cotton exporter. The study, conducted by researchers from the Federal Institutes of Sul de Minas and Mato Grosso do Sul, warns that rising temperatures could decimate cotton production, particularly in key states like Mato Grosso and Bahia. If the worst-case climate scenario becomes reality, only 12 per cent of Brazil’s land will remain suitable for cotton cultivation by 2100.

However, the study also found that expanding cotton production in Brazil could actually help fight climate change by sequestering massive amounts of carbon. With the right conditions, Brazil could capture up to 42 million tons of CO2 per cotton harvest – boosting global efforts to cut greenhouse gases.