Climate change warnings show food security must be put on par with energy security, farmers say
The Climate Change Committee said heatwaves will regularly top 40C in the south of England, while drought will create water shortages and coastal communities will have to be relocated.
Farmers and businesses have urged the Government to treat food security with the same urgency as energy security, following a Climate Change Committee report which says Britain will be “fundamentally different” by 2050.
The official advisory group says heatwaves will regularly top 40C in the south of England, while drought will create water shortages and coastal communities will have to be relocated.
It called for a raft of measures to tackle this, including maximum temperature regulations to protect workers and air conditioning in hospitals, care homes, schools and homes of vulnerable people.
Otherwise, the committee said, there could be 10,000 excess deaths, sea levels may rise by 45cm and river flow could almost double in force.
The committee is also calling for more investment in flood defences, water efficiency measures, support for farmers and protection of nature against climate impacts which it warns put the British way of life at risk.
Following this, a huge array of farming groups, trade organisations and academics have urged the Government to treat food security with the same importance as energy security, following the wars in Ukraine and Iran.
They say that without action, food prices will be subject to inflation due to continued climate shocks.
Anna Taylor, executive director at The Food Foundation, said: “Food and nutrition security is no less urgent than energy security. When this country faced an energy crisis, it legislated.
“Binding targets, long-term frameworks, statutory duties - these are what turned aspiration into action. Our food system deserves the same treatment.”
Prof Bob Doherty, from University of York and principal investigator of Fix Our Food, said: “Met Office data show there’s a serious risk to UK resilience from climate change.
“It threatens the UK food system both here and from where we import significant volumes of fruit and vegetables.
“Extreme weather in the UK is making it very challenging for UK farmers to maintain yields.
“We need urgent policy action on climate change across the food system. New approaches and techniques on farm, in the supply chain and at home are needed to adapt and navigate through these risks.
“If we don’t take urgent action, cost inflation on food due to climate change will only increase.”
Environment Secretary, Emma Reynolds said: "We are acting to protect people and places from the impacts of climate change that are already being felt across the UK - from flooding to extreme heat and drought.
"We have already invested a record £2.65bn to repair and build flood defences, protecting tens of thousands of homes and businesses, and have deployed the largest nature-friendly farming budget in history to support sustainable food production and security.
"Robust, independent science is essential and we will carefully consider the Climate Change Committee's latest recommendations to drive further action.”
The Climate Change Committee report comes with the Government already considering action over the prices of supermarket essentials.
Treasury Minister Dan Tomlinson denied there would be a mandatory price cap, but told the BBC: “People are experiencing rises in prices, you know, particularly at the petrol pumps in recent weeks.
“It’s right that the government looks across the board at what more we can do, both government levers, but also talking to industry about the steps that they could take to support people with the cost of living.”