A recent report has revealed that British households have experienced a rise of over £600 in their food expenses in the past two years due to the ongoing climate crisis and rising energy costs. The report also predicts that there will be more price hikes in 2024.
The ECIU thinktank has raised concerns about the effects of more frequent extreme weather events on food production. They have stated that the rise in global temperatures is directly contributing to the current cost of living crisis.
Researchers from Bournemouth, Exeter, and Sheffield universities found that unusual or severe weather was responsible for 33% of food price inflation in the UK in 2021.
Due to the rise in energy prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, British households can expect an additional £605 in food costs for 2022 and 2023. Although energy prices have decreased this year, the effects of the climate crisis are still on the rise.
Tom Lancaster, an analyst specializing in land at ECIU, stated that the impact of climate change on global food production is causing significant disruptions and leading to increased prices for consumers. He also noted that the climate crisis resulted in an additional cost equivalent to six weekly grocery trips for the average household between 2022 and 2023.
According to analysis, the expenses associated with the climate emergency increased from £171 in 2022 to £192 in 2023. This rise more than compensated for the decrease in energy costs this year and had a larger influence than the increase in energy bills.
According to official data, the annual increase in food and drink prices reached a high of nearly 20% earlier this year, the highest it has been since the 1970s. This was due to challenges with food supply caused by weather events and the rising costs of energy for producers.
The increase in food prices has decreased in the past few months, but they are still at historically high levels of nearly 10%. Additionally, prices are still close to record highs due to recent severe weather, such as Storm Babet, which caused flooding in farmlands and negatively impacted potato and vegetable harvests leading up to the Christmas season.
In the year 2022, there was a decrease in the production of essential food items like potatoes and onions in the UK due to drought. This was followed by an uncommonly rainy harvest in 2023 and then the warmest September ever recorded.
Severe weather conditions, including droughts and heatwaves, have significantly impacted food production and prices in various regions this year. The Mediterranean, India, and South America have all experienced heatwaves that have had a major effect on staple foods like sugar, rice, and tomatoes. In particular, India’s drought has caused issues for these crops, while southern Europe’s prolonged drought and heatwaves have led to a 50% increase in the cost of olive oil.
Next year, the situation could potentially worsen due to the presence of the El Niño weather pattern, resulting in possibly more extreme weather conditions and higher food costs.
According to Professor Wyn Morgan from Sheffield University, who was one of the authors of the report, it is probable that as climate impacts worsen, the cost of living crisis will persist due to climate change.
Anna Taylor, the executive director of the Food Foundation, suggested that the government should prioritize finding ways to help households better cope with price fluctuations in light of the expected effects of the climate crisis.
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She urged the government to reconsider its proposals for a horticulture strategy that aims to increase the cultivation of fruits and vegetables within the UK. This would decrease dependence on crops grown in southern Europe, which are at risk due to the growing threat of drought and extreme heat caused by the climate emergency.
Another study released by the Food Foundation cautioned that businesses in the UK were not successfully cultivating a food culture that offers affordable, easily accessible, and desirable healthy options.
It found healthy food was already twice as expensive as unhealthy food per calorie, while the cost of sustainable alternatives to meat and dairy can also be high.
The report states that a majority of main dishes served at popular pub chains contain over 50% of the recommended daily amounts of calories, saturated fat, salt, and sugar. However, only 1% of food advertisements focus on promoting fruits and vegetables, while 9% are for meat and dairy products. Additionally, a significantly higher percentage (21.5%) of buy-one-get-one-free deals are offered for meat and dairy compared to only 4.5% for fruits and vegetables.
According to Lancaster, the UK’s farming system is heavily reliant on fluctuating prices of oil, gas, and fertilizers, leading to a dangerous combination of severe weather, expensive gas, and worldwide instability, resulting in inflation of food prices.
According to him, there is positive news that implementing sustainable practices in agriculture can not only reduce emissions, but also increase resilience to extreme weather events such as floods and droughts. The government’s initiatives in England to promote greener farming, including the creation of more hedgerows, improving soil health, and implementing tree planting programs, are crucial for ensuring our future food security.
Source: theguardian.com
