Global Food Prices to Soar as Climate Change Pushes Temperatures Higher, Says New Research
We have observed the rising cost of food regularly for years now, so this news might not surprise us anymore. Increasing temperatures, as a result of climate change, may cause food prices to escalate by 3.2% yearly, a new study by researchers from the University of Southampton in Germany shows.
As climate change intensifies, more individuals globally will be unable to afford varied and nutritious diet, or have sufficient food.
According to the study's authors, Public Health & Nutrition Research Fellow Jessica Boxall and Senior Research Fellow in Global Health Michael Head, global warming could cause food price inflation to increase by 0.9 to 3.2 percent annually by 2035, alongside a broader rise in costs for goods and services by 0.3 to 1.2 percent. "This effect will be felt worldwide, by high and low-income countries alike," they stated.
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Their research on food security in Ghana, West Africa—described as a “hotspot” of climate change by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change—illustrates the real-life impact of price inflation due to climate change.
"We recently carried out a study in Mion, a rural district in the north of the country. We spoke to almost 400 people, and every single one of them told us they had experienced some level of food insecurity in the previous 12 months. Some 99% said climate change was at least partly to blame," the researchers said.
A similar study they conducted with refugees from Burkina Faso in Ghana’s upper east region found that 100% had experienced food insecurity. "Mion isn’t suffering from a sudden famine, and nothing particularly unusual has happened to cause this food insecurity. This situation is considered to be a 'normal phenomenon' due to the effects of climate change," they explained.
How is climate change causing inflation?
First, climate change leads to shifting seasons, more pests and diseases, and heat stress on infrastructure, complicating food access and driving up prices. These issues impede crop production, decrease livestock, and limit access to rural areas, raising food costs and lowering household buying power.
The inflation, in effect, makes it harder for households to afford essential foods, which can lead to increased vulnerability to diseases and malnutrition.
The researchers stressed on the importance of promoting awareness about climate change to help people manage its effects. "Teaching people about climate change might provide some capacity to adapt to it, and therefore increase food security," they noted.
Changes in the climate, like rising temperatures and changes in rain patterns, make the risk of hunger worse for people who are already vulnerable, such as those living in poverty or depending on farming.
"In light of this, 134 countries at COP28 signed a declaration to incorporate food systems into their climate action, to ensure everyone has enough to eat in light of climate change," they said.
The study suggests reducing greenhouse gas emissions to lessen negative economic effects globally. It also advises diversifying economies to support communities that rely on agriculture for their food and income.
"Government intervention could also ensure financial protection and nutritional aid for those vulnerable to becoming trapped in the poverty cycle by inflation and diminished accessibility to food," the researchers concluded.
