A new report has warned that extreme weather events, intensified by climate change, are causing surges in food prices worldwide, with severe implications for malnutrition, political unrest, and economic stability. The study, which analysed price spikes across 18 countries between 2022 and 2024, links rising costs of staples like potatoes in the UK, cabbages in South Korea, and cocoa in Ghana to unprecedented heat, drought, and heavy precipitation.
Lead author Maximilian Kotz of the Barcelona Supercomputing Center noted that such price jumps are already affecting household budgets and could worsen until net-zero emissions are achieved. In Ghana and Ivory Coast, which produce 60% of the world's cocoa, global prices soared by 300% following extreme temperatures in early 2024. The report highlights that low-income families often resort to cheaper, less nutritious food, increasing risks of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
The research, involving institutions including the UK's Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit and the European Central Bank, also points to broader economic impacts. A hot, dry spring in the UK contributed to unexpectedly high inflation figures, dampening hopes for interest rate cuts. The authors suggest that food price inflation can influence election outcomes, citing its role in the 2024 US election.
Raj Patel of the University of Texas at Austin emphasised that food price inflation is inherently political, recalling protests in Mozambique in 2010 after Russian heatwaves caused global wheat prices to spike. The report is released ahead of the UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake on 27 July, where world leaders will address threats to global food security.
