One of the arguments often put forward by climate change deniers is that climate change will increase agricultural production. This is because, as CO₂ is the “food” for plants (the substrate for photosynthesis), increases in atmospheric CO₂ concentrations should lead to increases in production. However, studies conducted in experiments where CO₂ is continuously “sprayed” (FACE experiments) rarely find benefits for long-term growth, especially when the increase in CO₂ is accompanied by warming or other environmental stresses.

In fact, increases in temperature and heat waves, especially on key days for flowering or fruiting, can damage crops and decimate production. These articles remind us how rapidly science and technology are advancing to meet this challenge. The articles review some of the main advances in different genetic modification techniques, such as transgenic crops and genetic editing tools. They also highlight the role of genetic improvement, i.e. the genetic selection that has been carried out continuously since Mesopotamia.

Scientific advances in this field contrast with the immobility shown by legislators in Europe. Some campaigns have generated unjustified fear of genetic engineering among the population, resulting in the legislative paralysis we are currently experiencing. As Bernacchi points out in his article, improving social acceptance of these techniques is essential for the adoption of new techniques and, ultimately, for adaptation to climate change.

However, as Yeaman reminds us, genetic modification is not a panacea and has significant limitations. It is a necessary and very powerful tool, but probably insufficient on its own. Apart from genetic modification and improvement, adaptation to climate change will also involve changing crops in many areas and other changes in agricultural techniques.