The first-ever global analysis of climate risks to global cotton production reveals that runaway climate change could expose half of all global cotton growing regions to high risks from temperature increases, changes to rainfall patterns and extreme weather events by 2040.

Adapting to climate change – physical risk assessment for global cotton production was commissioned by the Cotton 2040 initiative, which is facilitated by London-based sustainability non-profit Forum for the Future and supported by the Laudes Foundation. The analysis was conducted by Cotton 2040 partner and climate-risk specialists Acclimatise, part of Willis Tower Watson.

Under a worst-case climate scenario, it stresses that all global cotton growing regions will be exposed to increased risk from at least one climate hazard by 2040. While these increases range from very low to very high risk, half of the world’s cotton growing regions will face drastic changes with high or very high-risk exposure to at least one climate hazard. 

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