Climate change and food security

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

Context:

• At the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) held in Glasgow countries did commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and put forth a record-shattering U.S.$356 million in new support from contributing national and regional governments to protect the most vulnerable.
• But this is not enough to stay below the limit of 2°C above pre-industrial levels. COP26 fell far short of the ground-breaking successmany had hoped for.

Climate crisis and hunger

Climate crisis and hunger are linked inextricably-

• Analysis by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) shows that a 2°C rise in average global temperature from pre-industrial levels will see a staggering 189 million additional people in the grip of hunger.
• Vulnerable communities, a vast majority of whom rely on subsistence agriculture, fishing, and livestock and, who contribute the least to the climate crisis, will continue to bear the brunt of the impacts with limited means to cushion the blow.
• The absence of social protection measures such as food safety nets forces the food insecure to depend on humanitarian aid for survival.
• Across the world, up to 811 million people do not have enough food and as per the recent WFP estimates, 41 million people in 43 countries are at risk of sliding into famine.
• Crop failures, water scarcity, and declining nutrition threaten millions who rely on agriculture, fishing, and livestock

Adaptation is urgent

• Adaptation and resilience-building for poor and vulnerable communities are critical for food security. The focus though has been on reducing emissions and targets related as these are essential to protect livelihoods and the food security of millions.
• We need to understand climate and weather extremes and their adverse impacts on people and nature will continue to increase with rising temperatures.
• There is a strong emphasis on the urgency of scaling up action and support, including
  • finance,
  • capacity-building, and
  • technology transfer, to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate change in line with the best available science, and considering the priorities and needs of developing country parties.

Adaptation finance

• The contributions made to the Adaptation Fund and the Least Developed Countries Fund, represent significant progress when compared with previous efforts. However, the current climate finance for adaptation and base of stakeholders remain insufficient to respond to worsening climate change impacts.
• COP called upon multilateral development banks, other financial institutions, and the private sector to enhance finance mobilization to deliver the scale of resources needed to achieve climate plans, particularly for adaptation.
• The WFP is working with communities to adapt to the changing climate that threatens their ability to grow food, secure incomes, and withstand shocks. It has supported 39 governments, helping them realise their national climate ambitions.

Here are a few key areas or measures we should focus on.

• creating resilient livelihoods and food security solutions by protecting and improving the livelihood of vulnerable communities.
• the adaptation of climate-resilient food crops, such as millets, for nutritional security.
• enabling women’s control and ownership of production processes and assets and increased value addition and local solutions.
• promoting a resilient agriculture sector by creating sustainable opportunities, access to finance, and innovation for small-holder farmers, with climate information and preparedness.
• building capacity and knowledge of civil society and governments for vulnerability analysis to increase food security by addressing the link between food security and climate risk.

Fixing broken food systems

• Reimagining food systems requires us to look at food systems through the prism of climate change adaptation and mitigation, which must also entail making them resilient to climate change and pandemics while making them green and sustainable.

Way Forward

• We are on the cusp of transformation to make the world free of hunger by 2030 and deliver promises for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with strong cooperation and partnership between
  • governments,
  • citizens,
  • civil society organisations, and
  • the private sector.

This requires reimagining the food system towards balancing growth and sustainability, mitigating climate change, ensuring healthy, safe, quality, and affordable food, with investment from governments and the private sector in supporting farmers while maintaining biodiversity, improving resilience, and offering attractive income and work environment to smallholders and youth.

The Hindu link-

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/cop27-in-egypt-must-focus-on-food-systems/article37831854.ece

Question- Climate change and global food security are intricately linked. Elucidate.