Scientistssaymanyofthelong-termeffectsofrisingtemperaturesarestillunknown.They'rediscussingtheproblemattheU.N.climatechangeconferenceinDurban,SouthAfrica.Researcherssayclimatechangeisacomplexmixofpotentialbenefitsandconsequences,especiallyregardingfoodproduction.InearlyNovember,researchersfromseveralcountriesmetinBeijing.Theyrepresentedtheso-calledBRICScountries–Brazil,Russia,India,ChinaandSouthAfrica–aswellastheUnitedStatesandIndonesia.TheydiscussedclimatechangeandfoodsecurityandagreedonanumberofissuesandrecommendationstopresenttotheDurbanconference.Oneofthoseresearchers–GeraldNelson–saidtheycameupwithaworkprogramforclimatechangetreatynegotiators.Itconcentratesontheroleofagriculture."Theadvantageoftheworkprogramisthatitputstheseresearchfindingsabouttheimportanceoflookingatclimatechangeeffectsonagriculture–andalsoagriculture'sroleinmitigation–directlyintotherecordfordelegatestolookat,"hesaid.Weknowwedon'tknowNelsonisaseniorfellowatIFPRI,theWashington-basedInternationalFoodPolicyResearchInstitute.TheancientGreekphilosopherSocratesisquotedassaying,"IknowthatIdon'tknow."Nelsonsaidit'snotthatresearchersdon'tknowanythingaboutclimatechange,it'sjustthattheyneedtoknowalotmore."Ourresearchresults,ourunderstandingofwhat'sgoingononthesurfaceoftheplanettoday,isreallyhinderedbyalackofdata.Wejusthaveverylittleinformationabouttheactualchangesthataretakingplaceontheplanet.Wearestillgroping,perhapsnotinthecompletedark,butwithonlyverylimitedillumination,tounderstandthosechanges.Andweneedtodoamuchbetterjobofcollectingdataaboutwherethingsarechangingandhowthey'rechanging,"hesaid.GoodandbadAtfirstglance,someofthechangesbeingseenappeartobebeneficial,atleastfornow."Takeforexample,inIowa,farmersthereareseeinglongergrowingseasons.They'replantingearlierintheyear.They'reseeingwettersprings,withmoresummerprecipitationhappening.IfyoutakealookatChina,youseethatHeilongjiangProvince,whichusedtohaveessentiallynoriceproduction,nowaccountsfor15percentofChina'sriceproduction.Inthenorthernparts...
