Hi group, Next tuesday from 3 - 4pm in the Division room, we'll be having a special seminar from Dr. Erick de la Barrera. See title and abstract below. THERE WILL BE TEQUILA! Title: "Will Tequila Fail with climate change?" Abstract: The declaration of the "designation of origin" triggered the successful expansion of thetequila industry and its model is being replicated for other traditional alcoholic beverages and foods in Mexico. However, what once was an economic measure to protect artisanal livelihoods has become an extremely profitable business, currently driven by multinational corporations. A climatological analysis of the tequila region suggests that neither ecological or agronomic criteria were considered for establishing the designated territory. Moreover, climate change models estimate scenarios where the productivity of *Agave tequilana*, the plant from which tequila is distilled, may decrease 15 to 36% by mid-century and up to 60% by 2090. While the tequila industry has the lobbying resources to change the region protected by the designation of origin and to plan the establishment of plantations anticipating climatological changes at suitable sites, climate change may pose a severe threat for region-specific artisanal agro-industries. -- Dr. Erick de la Barrera ----- "Antonio Madero" Visiting Scholar David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Harvard University http://scholar.harvard.edu/delabarrera Investigador Titular Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México http://leaf.ecolibrios.com/