How the climate crisis affects food security
By now, we’re all aware of the deeply concerning effects of the climate crisis. From the increase in the number and severity of major forest fires to rising sea levels and coastal erosion, there’s no shortage of reasons to worry about the changes to our environment.
This is a global issue and affects ecosystems of all kinds. It stands to reason that it would have a large impact on how our food grows - and it does.
Different fruits and vegetables require particular environments to grow, and as environments change, the ability to grow the same types and amounts of produce will change as well. Changing temperatures and rainfall amounts have already changed and have affected crop yields and will continue to do so as the earth gets warmer and warmer. Extreme weather events lead to the destruction of crops and farmland, and overarching environmental changes will gradually make it so that crops simply won’t be able to grow in many parts of the world.
The food security impact of the climate crisis, both on an immediate and long term scale, has been and will be tremendous; according to a United Nations report from 2019, soil in many parts of the world is being lost 10 to 100 times faster than it is being formed, greatly reducing available land for farming. Increased numbers and severity of droughts was responsible for almost 90% of livestock sector loss in between 2006 and 2016. Droughts, fires, floods, and storms all contribute to land and water loss, which results in less agricultural productivity, and therefore, less food.
And it’s not just agriculture - climate change impacts ecosystems and animal habitats, making wild food more inaccessible. As the ocean warms, certain species of fish and other seafood will be unable to survive the changes to their environment, leading to endangerments and even extinctions. This will impact not only the amount of food we can harvest, but it will cause irreparable damage to ecosystems and the economy.
We’ve already Reached the point of no return
We have already passed the point of reversing climate change.
We can no longer think of “going back to the way it was.” Some damage has already been done, and all we can do now is to work diligently to limit how much worse it will get. Even so, according to experts, it will take decades to slow the rate of warming, let alone halt it completely.
Since the 19th century, the earth has warmed by 1 degree celsius, and it is rapidly warming. According to Dr. Katharine Hayhoe of Texas University, most systems could adapt to a 1.5 - 2 degree increase, despite the fact that the adaptations would be very difficult and costly. Beyond that, however, things get dire; Dr. Hayhoe says that if we ever reach a four degree increase, the world’s ecosystems will essentially shut down, unable to adapt to the changes to our climate 1.
The Paris Agreement from 2015 outlined a plan for nations to come together to drastically reduce emissions by the year 2030, in an effort to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius. The goals set out by all 196 signatories are still quite far out of reach (especially considering the United States’ withdrawal from the agreement) and even if all countries somehow reached their emissions reduction goals in the next ten years (which they are not on track to do), the effects of climate change will still be severe. Even if we cut emissions rapidly, one seventh of the world’s population will suffer heat waves every few years, and sea levels could still rise another one to two feet in this century. If we don’t act now, the effects could be exponentially more devastating.
The situation in Newfoundland and Labrador
The climate crisis’ impacts on our food systems in Newfoundland and Labrador are complex.
Farmers here warn of inconsistent seasonal weather patterns that make it more difficult to predict the best times to plant and harvest, and affect pest management among other things. But there may actually be some benefits to a warming climate in our province: the rising temperatures can make it possible to grow more types, and greater quantities, of food, and may make it less necessary to utilize infrastructure like greenhouses. For the agriculture industry on the island portion of the province, the effects of climate change may not be all bad, all the time. That said, there’s a lot more research to do here to understand weather the benefits of warmer temperatures will outweigh the damage done by chaotic weather and pests.
Outside of those potential agricultural benefits, though, the changing climate is a huge threat to our food security. Climate change is warming our province, and in Labrador, the changing climate is proving detrimental for many species of wildlife, including caribou. Not only are species like caribou important for the functioning of the ecosystem, but, they are imperative to Indigenous and rural ways of life and are a very important food source. In addition to land mammals, melting sea ice will affect the ability of species like seals to survive, which are also an important food source in Labrador, and is already affecting people’s ability to safely go out on the ice to the same places they have harvested food for generations. Wild food is a very important part of Newfoundland and Labrador food security and culture, and climate change threatens this greatly.
We also know that Newfoundland and Labrador is part of a globally integrated food system, and that the climate crisis is already putting a huge stress on that system, one that is only going to grow. Among many other impacts, this is going to put upward pressure on food prices, which will show up here in higher rates of household food insecurity.
It sounds pretty bad. So, what do we do?
If it sounds like climate change has become a virtually insurmountable problem with dire consequences, that’s because it has. But there is still time to choose a different direction that will limit the damage. Our food systems have a role to play here.
Right now, world governments are not living up to the promises they made in the Paris Agreement, but groups like Farmers for Climate Solutions have policy proposals that will help Canada meet its climate change goals, like making farms “green energy powerhouses” by encouraging farmers to transition to on-farm renewable energy, or helping innovative farmers mentor other farmers in how to adopt climate resilient farming practices. Some reform to various industries in Canada can help the country reach its Paris Agreement goals.
The conversation about the climate crisis is full of policy solutions - including ones from folks in the food system. The key is to ensure our government representatives are hearing our concerns. This is why we support initiatives like the climate strike and groups like Fridays for Future.
Our climate is on track to change dramatically in a very short amount of time, and the effects will be detrimental to all, including in the context of food security. Changing climates around the world will make it difficult to farm and forage, yielding smaller crops worldwide and leaving all people with less food than they need. Here at home, climate change threatens our wild food supply, which is a major part of not only food security solutions in our province but an absolutely critical part of Indigenous and rural ways of life. Humans have already damaged the earth, but the good news is that it is possible to slow the rate of damage and make the world a healthier place. What we need to do is hold our governments accountable and ensure that they make policy decisions that are in our collective best interests.
1https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/22/climate/climate-change-future.html
