1 in 11 People Went Hungry Last Year with Climate Change Largely to Blame

In 2022, a staggering one in 11 people globally faced hunger, while one in three could not afford a nutritious diet. This alarming data is from a recent United Nations report which suggests that achieving the 2015 goal of eradicating hunger seems increasingly unlikely as food access continues to decline.

Source: DW News/YouTube

The report highlights the profound connection between food security and Climate change. Máximo Torero Cullen, the chief economist at the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stresses that the agrifood system’s risks and uncertainties are exacerbated by Climate change, affecting the frequency and severity of climate events. This intensifying crisis is not only a human rights issue but poses significant economic and social risks.

A closer look at the numbers reveals a grim reality: approximately 733 million people were undernourished last year, an increase of 152 million since 2019. This sets back progress to levels seen during the 2008-2009 global food crisis, erasing nearly 15 years of advancement. The impact is most severe in low-income countries, where over 71% of the population struggles to buy sufficient nutritious food, compared to only 6.3% in high-income countries.

Climate change ranks as a close second to conflict in driving global hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity. Its influence extends beyond crop failures and disrupted supply chains caused by extreme weather events like droughts. Climate change also promotes the spread of diseases and pests, affecting livestock and crop yields, and drives migration as people flee from areas devastated by rising seas and storms, further fueling conflicts and creating a vicious cycle of displacement and food scarcity.

This situation is exacerbated by the inconsistent and unclear financial efforts toward solving these issues. The UN report calls for a universal definition of financing for food security and nutrition, emphasizing the need for clear, coordinated strategies that include both public and private resources.

Despite extensive measures, the global community is off track to meet the 2030 nutrition targets set under the Sustainable Development Goals. Nemat Hajeebhoy, the chief of nutrition for UNICEF Nigeria, voices a critical reminder: the dire consequences of failing to address these challenges affect the most vulnerable, particularly women and children, leading to sickness and death. As the crisis deepens, the urgent need for collective action becomes more apparent, pressing the global community to rethink strategies and intensify efforts to combat the intertwined challenges of hunger and climate change.

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