Science Speaks - Blog by ISAAA

Scientists Call for Urgent Action as Climate Change Threatens Global Food Supply

By Clement Dionglay
December 18, 2024

During the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) held in Baku, Azerbaijan in November, global leaders faced an urgent call to act as 2024 is “virtually certain” to be the hottest year on record, according to the latest projections by the European climate service. 

The year 2024 could also be the first to surpass the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold set by the Paris Agreement. The first 12-month period to exceed 1.5°C as an average happened from February 2023 to January 2024. This year has seen back-to-back hurricanes, catastrophic floods, devastating typhoons, and severe drought. On top of these weather conditions, the global population continues to increase, with the demand for essential resources such as food, clothing, fresh water, and shelter also rising.

Scientists sound alarm on climate change impacts on global food supply

As climate change escalates, scientists are sounding the alarm on its impacts on the global food supply. In a paper published in the December 5, 2024 issue of Trends in Plant Science, an international team of researchers warns that without rapid changes in the development of climate-resilient crops, the world could face widespread food shortages that could lead to famine, mass migration, and global instability.

“We’re in a race against time,” explained Silvia Restrepo, president of the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) and one of the paper’s co-authors. “The crops we depend on for food are increasingly struggling to survive extreme weather, from heat waves to droughts and floods. Meanwhile, our current approaches to developing tougher, more resilient crops simply aren’t moving fast enough.”

According to the paper, the problem is complex as crops are not only battling higher temperatures, they are also facing more frequent pest outbreaks and diseases. Even when crops survive these challenges, climate change can reduce their nutritional value. Adding to the urgency, agriculture also contributes to about 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions, creating a vicious cycle. Biotechnology has contributed to the development of climate-resilient crops that can tolerate drought, floods, pests, and diseases. 

The researchers emphasize that to fight these challenges, there should be unprecedented collaboration between scientists, farmers, policymakers, and the public. As climate change continues to accelerate, the paper’s authors argue that the time for incremental changes has passed and gave five recommendations to create agricultural systems that are resilient to the impacts of climate change while also improving food security and nutrition.

  1. Create global research initiatives that bring together scientists from developed and developing nations to share resources and expertise
  2. Study plants in real-world conditions rather than just in controlled laboratory settings
  3. Establish stronger partnerships between laboratory scientists and farmers
  4. Build public trust and acceptance of new crop development technologies
  5. Streamline regulations to speed up the implementation of innovative solutions

Global study shows links between climate and agriculture

A sweeping global research review published in Science co-written by professors at the University of Minnesota (UM) with more than 20 experts worldwide examined the links between climate and agriculture. The review explored how climate change can amplify agricultural environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water consumption, soil degradation, nutrient pollution, pest problems, and biodiversity loss. The review also discussed potential solutions to address these challenges and ensure sustainable agricultural practices.

The researchers present two major findings from their study. First, climate change will likely exacerbate agricultural production's already large negative environmental impacts. It would do so by directly and negatively affecting agricultural productivity, reducing the efficacy of agrochemicals, and increasing crop pests and soil erosion. Second, agriculture accounts for almost a quarter of global GHG emissions, and its response to climate change could create a powerful positive GHG feedback loop through multiple pathways.

For the future

Climate change, driven by the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, is significantly impacting global agriculture and food security. Rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and more frequent extreme weather events are disrupting agricultural practices and threatening crop yields worldwide. Global collaboration to bring together scientists, farmers, policymakers, and the public will help create agricultural systems that are resilient to the impacts of climate change while also improving food security.

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