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Adaptations to climatic extremes and increasing weather variability in viticulture
These theses (bachelor and master thesis) aim to provide insights on economic impacts and adaptations to climatic extremes and/or increasing weather variability, with a focus on viticulture.
**Abstract**
These theses (bachelor and master thesis) aim to provide insights on economic impacts and adaptations to climatic extremes and/or increasing weather variability, with a focus on viticulture. The bachelor thesis will focus on the literature review, while the master thesis will complement a literature review with an empirical investigation of how extreme events and increasing weather variability economically impact wine producers and how they adapt to such events. Within this empirical analysis, the master student should further concentrate on role of production diversification, in terms of the number of grape varieties, as well as on the level of wine quality produced.
**Description**
In 2017 global wine production is estimated to have contracted by 8% compared to 2016. Italy, the world’s leading country in terms of production, experienced an even larger plunge, estimated at 23%. Key drivers for these losses in viticulture are extreme weather events, such are droughts or frosts (OIV, 2017). Because of climate change, Southern Europe’s agricultural sector is expected to be more and more exposed to climatic extreme events and increasing weather variability. Without the adoption of appropriate adaptation strategies, the wine-producing sector is expected to suffer severe losses because of climate change. Yet, viticulture is not only important for farmers but also for connected industries, such as tourism (Hall et al., 2009), and therefore has an important socio-economic position. Understanding adaptation strategies of wine makers to climatic extremes and weather variability is crucial to support farmers and policy-makers decisions.
**References**
Hall, Sharples, Cambourne, & Macionis, N. (2009). Wine tourism around the world. Routledge.
OIV (2017). Press Release. Aceessed last 7 of November 2017 under http://www.oiv.int/en/oiv-life/2017-world-wine-production-estimated-at-2467-mhla-fall-of-82-compared-with-2016
Wolkovich, Burge, Walker, & Nicholas,(2017). Phenological diversity provides opportunities for climate change adaptation in winegrapes. Journal of Ecology, 105(4), 905-912.
**Starting literature**
Battaglini, Barbeau, Bindi, & Badeck, (2009). European winegrowers’ perceptions of climate change impact and options for adaptation. Regional Environmental Change, 9(2), 61-73.
Lereboullet, Beltrando, & Bardsley, (2013). Socio-ecological adaptation to climate change: A comparative case study from the Mediterranean wine industry in France and Australia. Agriculture, ecosystems & environment, 164, 273-285.
Nicholas, & Durham, (2012). Farm-scale adaptation and vulnerability to environmental stresses: Insights from winegrowing in Northern California. Global Environmental Change, 22(2), 483-494.
**Abstract**
These theses (bachelor and master thesis) aim to provide insights on economic impacts and adaptations to climatic extremes and/or increasing weather variability, with a focus on viticulture. The bachelor thesis will focus on the literature review, while the master thesis will complement a literature review with an empirical investigation of how extreme events and increasing weather variability economically impact wine producers and how they adapt to such events. Within this empirical analysis, the master student should further concentrate on role of production diversification, in terms of the number of grape varieties, as well as on the level of wine quality produced.
**Description**
In 2017 global wine production is estimated to have contracted by 8% compared to 2016. Italy, the world’s leading country in terms of production, experienced an even larger plunge, estimated at 23%. Key drivers for these losses in viticulture are extreme weather events, such are droughts or frosts (OIV, 2017). Because of climate change, Southern Europe’s agricultural sector is expected to be more and more exposed to climatic extreme events and increasing weather variability. Without the adoption of appropriate adaptation strategies, the wine-producing sector is expected to suffer severe losses because of climate change. Yet, viticulture is not only important for farmers but also for connected industries, such as tourism (Hall et al., 2009), and therefore has an important socio-economic position. Understanding adaptation strategies of wine makers to climatic extremes and weather variability is crucial to support farmers and policy-makers decisions.
**References**
Hall, Sharples, Cambourne, & Macionis, N. (2009). Wine tourism around the world. Routledge.
OIV (2017). Press Release. Aceessed last 7 of November 2017 under http://www.oiv.int/en/oiv-life/2017-world-wine-production-estimated-at-2467-mhla-fall-of-82-compared-with-2016
Wolkovich, Burge, Walker, & Nicholas,(2017). Phenological diversity provides opportunities for climate change adaptation in winegrapes. Journal of Ecology, 105(4), 905-912.
**Starting literature**
Battaglini, Barbeau, Bindi, & Badeck, (2009). European winegrowers’ perceptions of climate change impact and options for adaptation. Regional Environmental Change, 9(2), 61-73.
Lereboullet, Beltrando, & Bardsley, (2013). Socio-ecological adaptation to climate change: A comparative case study from the Mediterranean wine industry in France and Australia. Agriculture, ecosystems & environment, 164, 273-285.
Nicholas, & Durham, (2012). Farm-scale adaptation and vulnerability to environmental stresses: Insights from winegrowing in Northern California. Global Environmental Change, 22(2), 483-494.
_Bachelor Thesis:_
Goal and focus: The aim of this thesis is to provide an overview on economic impacts and adaptations to climatic extremes and/or increasing weather variability in viticulture.
Method: Literature review.
_Master Thesis:_
Goal and focus: The aim of this thesis is to provide insights on economic impacts and adaptations to climatic extremes and/or increasing weather variability in viticulture. The focus of the analysis should be to identify whether wine producers of high quality wines, and/or wine producers growing a larger portfolio of different grape varieties (Wolkovich et al., 2017), are less affected by and more resilient to the adverse weather events. Farm-level data as well as weather data will be used for the empirical analysis.
Method: Literature review, data preparation, econometric analysis.
_Bachelor Thesis:_
Goal and focus: The aim of this thesis is to provide an overview on economic impacts and adaptations to climatic extremes and/or increasing weather variability in viticulture.
Method: Literature review.
_Master Thesis:_
Goal and focus: The aim of this thesis is to provide insights on economic impacts and adaptations to climatic extremes and/or increasing weather variability in viticulture. The focus of the analysis should be to identify whether wine producers of high quality wines, and/or wine producers growing a larger portfolio of different grape varieties (Wolkovich et al., 2017), are less affected by and more resilient to the adverse weather events. Farm-level data as well as weather data will be used for the empirical analysis.
Method: Literature review, data preparation, econometric analysis.
Mr. Sergei Schaub: seschaub@ethz.ch
Dr. Martina Bozzola: mbozzola@ethz.ch