Global Poverty to Escalate as Climate Change Reduces Food Supplies: UN

Climate change disproportionately affects disadvantaged people in low-income regions and developing countries around the world, hence the two are inexorably linked. Due to increased exposure and vulnerability, poverty increases the chances of experiencing severe climate change effects.

Climate change and extreme weather are already wreaking havoc on the global economy, and if left unchecked, would push millions more into poverty by driving up food costs and disrupting trade and labour markets, according to United Nations climate experts.

Findings of IPCC Report:

The conclusion came from a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which stated that there was only "a narrow and rapidly closing window of opportunity to assure a liveable and sustainable future for everybody."

The study, which represents the most recent worldwide agreement on climate science, stated unequivocally that climate change was having a greater impact on the world than scientists had predicted, despite countries' failure to curb carbon emissions, which are driving global warming.

The research summary stated, "Economic impacts from climate change have been observed in climate-exposed sectors, with regional consequences to agriculture, forestry, fishery, energy, and tourism, as well as through outdoor labour productivity."

"Changes in agricultural production, consequences on human health and food security, destruction of homes and infrastructure, and loss of property and income have all had negative repercussions on individual livelihoods, with detrimental effects on gender and social equity," it continued.

It elected not to quantify the impact in terms of global output, citing a broad variety of previous estimates based on different approaches but stated that poorer, more vulnerable economies will suffer disproportionately.

"There is expected to be significant regional variation in aggregate economic costs from climate change," it concluded, "with anticipated economic damages per capita for poor nations frequently larger as a fraction of GDP."

It is anticipated that by 2050, up to 183 million more people in low-income countries would be undernourished owing to climate change, based on a "high vulnerability-high warming scenario."

The report comes as global fuel prices and inflation have risen, prompting some politicians to oppose efforts to promote cleaner energy sources, claiming that doing so will just contribute to the overall cost of living for the poorest.

We must change our food production and consumption habits not only for environmental reasons but also because this is an existential issue for us!!