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French winemakers and food producers are urging their government to push for bold action at the international climate summit  in Copenhagen this December, warning that faliure to cut greenhouse gas emissions could devastate the country’s vineyards.  Knowing how passionate France is about wine and food, I would recommend French President Nicolas Sarkozy heed their call or face serious consequences.

While other European wine producers may welcome a recent warming that has enabled them to produce successful grape harvests where they couldn’t before, ultimately if climate change continues unabated conditions could grow too extreme for certain areas and the quality of the wines would suffer.  The major concern is not just because someone might have a sour glass of wine with dinner, but rather the threat that an entire industry could collapse if global emissions aren’t greatly reduced soon. 

Wine and cheese production are so dependant on the very specific qualities of a region’s soil and microclimate, and sudden changes to those factors could do irreparable harm to centuries-old traditions and tastes.  If tangible commitments aren’t made to cut emissions worldwide, the disruption of those traditions could do serious harm to both the French economy and culture.  So, let’s raise a glass to our leaders and urge them to take action to solve the climate crisis.